Swerve to get Australian/US simultaneous release
An Australian film will be released in the US and Australia simultaneously, with the aim of getting international traction.
Jump Street Films, with production company Duo Art Productions, will release outback neo-noir film Swerve, written and directed by Craig Lahiff, in the US through Cohen Media Group, the same company that handled Oranges and Sunshine in the US.
Helen Leake, head of Duo Art Productions told Encore: “Our Australian market is so tricky I thought why not start overseas and bring it back home. If you fail in your home market you have a problem so we’re just quietly getting good sales overseas. We’ve sold Germany, UK, and we’re about to close with Benelux, all of which are happy to wait for the US release.
“We have to balance this tightrope really well and break through the little film syndrome.”
The film about a guy who finds a suitcase full of cash outside of a small town stars Jason Clark, Emma Booth, David Lyons as welas Vince Colosimo, and Roy Billing.
When released in Australia Leake said, while it was yet to be confirmed, it was likely they’d begin with Perth and Adelaide before Sydney and Melbourne.
“If it doesn’t do well in Melbourne and Sydney in the first week you’re done like a dinner. With the muscle of having US Theatrical it should give it some momentum.”
Leake also said Cohen Media Group hoped to open Swerve wider than the six screens it opened Oranges and Sunshine across.
The film had its World Premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival as it received funding from the MIFF Premiere Fund.
Leake also sold some airline rights to Emirates, seeing it as a promotional tool.
Leake is the former CEO of the South Australian Film Corporation.
The film will also open next month’s Australian Film Festival in Sydney.
Umm, so this guy finds something valuable after a car crashes, he’s an honest guy so he hands it in to the local cop, the cop is a crook, some kind of seduction goes down the good guy gets double crossed, maybe because the girl and the cop are also involved and girl is playing everybody because she wants to get out of this small town while some bad guy is looking for the loot. Now I’ve watched the trailer not sure I need to see the film. Who knows maybe there could be a real plot twist? Trailer Tip: Some times too much information is a little off puting. All the best and well done on the overseas sales.
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Hi Jim
I don’t normally chime in on whether a film is good or bad in the interest of Encore staying neutral as we don’t do reviews, but having seen this at MIFF, I chased Helen down for this story. I feared it was another good Australian film lost in the ether. Fortunately I was wrong. It’s a fun pulpy noir that doesn’t take itself too seriously. See it when it comes out.
Colin – Encore
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Swerve took a very long time to get some sales and a release, the film was shot in Jan 2010 almost two years ago.
Shows how tough it is to get a deal nowadays, even in Australia. The trailer looks OK, hopefully it will do some decent numbers.
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I don’t doubt the film is good, its just that sometimes trailers give away too much, less can be more, hats off to them for making it and I wish them all the best.
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I saw the film last night as part of the Australian Film Festival Opening. It was surprisingly entertaining. I hadn’t watched the trailer before the movie, so I didn’t have any expectations going in. I hope it does well. Aussie films need more support.
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