Ma Dong-seok's 'Holy Night: Demon Hunters' to screen at Shanghai film fest

Actor-producer Ma Dong-seok's occult action film "Holy Night: Demon Hunters" has been selected for screening at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival's Midnight Fantasy section, distributor Lotte Entertainment announced Tuesday.

One of China's major cinema events, the Shanghai International Film Festival is the only Chinese festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations. "The Wailing" (2016), "Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum" (2018), "The Roundup: Punishment" (2024) and "Exhuma" (2024) are among Korean films that previously screened in the non-competitive Midnight Fantasy section, which mainly showcases international genre cinema.

This year's festival runs June 13-22.

"Holy Night: Demon Hunters" follows a trio of supernatural investigators combating demonic forces. Ma plays Bau, a fighter with superhuman strength, alongside Girls' Generation member Seohyun as exorcist Sharon, and David Lee as their tech-savvy sidekick Kim Gun. The cast also includes Kyung Soo-jin and Jung Ji-so as sisters swept into the fray.

Ma, also known as Don Lee, produced the film, developing the project as part of a broader genre franchise. A prequel web comic, "Holy Night: The Zero," currently runs on Naver Webtoon.

The film has drawn 777,323 admissions in South Korea since its April 30 release, falling short of its reported 2 million breakeven threshold.

The film is available on local streaming platforms Coupang Play and Wavve in addition to Apple TV.