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Wish You Were Here secures US theatrical release after eOne sale

Entertainment One (eOne) has acquired the North American distribution rights to Australian drama Wish You Were Here, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this month.

The film is also being distributed by eOne/Hopscotch in Australia (that deal was struck before eOne acquired Hopscotch for more than $20 million last year), where it will be released on April 19.

The film's writer-director, Kieran Darcy-Smith, said it had been an extraordinary and very special week.

“Today’s sale to eOne really does cap the entire experience," he said in a statement. "It is twelve months to the day since we wrapped filming, and the movie has sold to the US and Canada – at the Sundance Film Festival, in the snow. Felicity [Price, co-screenwriter and actor] and I are thrilled beyond words – and we’re simply looking forward now to getting the film in front of as many people as we possibly can.”

Wish You Were Here is a psychological-thriller that follows four friends who lose themselves in the fun of a carefree South East Asian holiday. It stars Joel Edgerton (Warrior), Teresa Palmer (I am Number 4) and Price (Unfolding Florence).

Last August, eOne announced an expansion of its North American operations and an increasing focus on theatrical distribution.

The North American sale was brokered by eOne’s VP, worldwide acquisitions, Sejin Park, and LevelK’s sales director, Natja Noviani Rosner.

Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.