Strand Releasing has set USA premiere dates for Michael O’Shea’s critically-acclaimed 2016 Cannes Film Festival selection, “The Transfiguration,” the filmmaker’s feature film directorial debut which made its world premiere at the world’s most prestigious film festival last year.

First the much-anticipated film will make its North American premiere at the 24th edition of the SXSW Film Festival, which runs from March 10-19, 2017 in Austin, Texas. It will then open theatrically in New York on Friday, April 7th at the Angelika Film Center; and then in Los Angeles on Friday, April 21st at The Nuart Theatre.

The horror drama stars newcomer Eric Ruffin, alongside Chloe Levine, in a New York City-set story of “love, loss and obsession,” as the film is described. The story follows a teenage outsider (Ruffin) who takes refuge from bullies in the apartment he shares with his older brother, where he immerses himself in the world of vampires. A chance encounter with a new neighbor (Levine) leads him to develop new feelings but it may not be enough to quash his dark urges.

If star Eric Ruffin looks familiar, it may be because he appeared in several episodes of CBS’ “The Good Wife,” playing Dylan Bishop, son of powerful Chicago drug lord Lemond Bishop, who was played by Mike Colter (“Luke Cage”).

Susan Leber – whose credits include Sundance winner “Down to the Bone” directed by Debra Granik and Ti West’s first feature “The Roost” – is the film’s producer.

“Mr. O’Shea’s film is a unique hybrid that audiences and critics will be compelled by,” said Strand Releasing’s Jon Gerrans in a previous statement.

A first trailer for “The Transfiguration” premiered today and is embedded below, followed by a poster.