The New Zealand Film Commission and the Film Fund announced yesterday that they are investing in the production of a romantic comedy feature film scripted by award-winning writer Tom Scott.
The film, Separation City, will be directed by Australian-based New Zealander, Paul Middleditch. It is a story about the tragedy of infidelity, the consequences of moral cowardice and how romantic fantasy can destroy something real and tangible.
Paul Middleditch has directed two features in Australia. The second, A Cold Summer, was selected for 11 film festivals including Montreal, Rotterdam, Sydney and Melbourne, and earned him a best director nomination at the IF awards in Australia. He has won numerous awards for commercials which he has directed for New Zealand, Australian and North American companies.
Tom Scott has won awards for the script of Footrot Flats which he co-wrote with Murray Ball, for his television mini-series Fallout (co-written with Greg McGee) for his political writing and for his newspaper cartoons. His stageplay The Daylight Atheist has toured New Zealand and Australia to great acclaim.
The new feature will be produced by Barrie Osborne (The World’s Fastest Indian, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, The Matrix), Mark Overett and Tom Scott. Production company is the Auckland-based New Holland Pictures NZ in association with Direct Hit Productions.
Executive producers are San Fu Maltha, Cathy Overett and Anton Smit. The film has been pre-sold for release in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Separation City will be distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Hoyts Distribution.
Production is due to begin in the middle of next year. NZ On Air and TVNZ are minority investors in the film.
[release from NZFC]