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The Sapphires in Official Selection for Cannes Film Festival

An Australian film has been added to the Cannes Film Festival’s Official Selection.

The Sapphires, produced by Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight and Kylie du Fresne and first time feature director Wayne Blair has been accepted to screen in official selection, out of competition in a midnight screening.

The film is Australia’s only feature film to be selected by the festival this year.

The film is an adaptation of the stage musical that sees three Aboriginal singers plucked from a remote Aboriginal mission to become the next Supremes and entertain the troops in Vietnam. The film stars Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Chris O’Dowd and newcomers Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell.

De Fresnes said: “From the moment we first heard of these amazing young Aboriginal women, we knew the story of how they discovered soul music and dared to live their dream had all the ingredients to captivate and enchant cinema audiences. We are absolutely thrilled to be screening The Sapphires in Cannes and taking this film to the world. It is a wonderful acknowledgement of the extraordinary work of the cast and crew led so magnificently by director Wayne Blair.

A Hopscotch Films/Entertainment One release, The Sapphires will be out in August 2012. It was produced in association with Screen Australia and Screen NSW with support from E-Film Australia, IFS Capital and EFIC.

Troy Lum, MD of Hopscotch Films/eOne said: “There is nothing more exciting or prestigious than a screening at The Palais in Cannes. We are thrilled that The Sapphires is going to have an opportunity to show the whole world what a heart-warming, feel-good and distinctly Australian movie this is.”

The Sapphires will be distributed in Canada through eOne, Diaphana in France, Lev Films in Israel, Lusomundo for Portugal and Goalpost Film, the sister company of Goalpost Pictures in the UK. The film is also sold to Cinesky for airlines.”

Yardbird by Michael Spiccia will screen in competition in the short film category.

Along with The Sapphires, Franck Khalfoun’s Maniac will get a midnight screening, Trashed by Brit Candida Brady has been added to the special screenings. In the Un Certain Regard section are new additions, Adam Leon’s Gimme the Loot, Djeca by Aida Begic and Renoir directed by Gilles Bourdos to closing the section. And in the Cannes Classics is Final Cut – Holgyeim Es Uraim by Gyorgy Palfi made from archived footage.

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