By Brendan Swift
Distributor Anchor Bay has secured the local rights to John Jarratt’s Savages Crossing and Colin Friels’ The Nothing Men.
It is planning a limited theatrical release for both films, which have endured difficult journeys to the big screen. “They came our way and we think they have potential,” Anchor Bay Australian marketing director Marilyn Greig said.
The last local film that Anchor Bay took to theatre screens was the Spierig brothers Undead in 2003.
The independent distributor is likely to take Savages Crossing on a roadshow beginning in Jarratt’s home state next month. The $3.5 million privately-funded thriller, about a group of people stuck in a roadhouse during a flood, also stars Craig McLachlan, Rebecca Smart and Sacha Horler.
The Nothing Men was the first Australian film shot on the Red camera in October 2007 and stars Colin Friels and David Field. However, the final edit on the low-budget feature, which had a production budget of about $600,000, was only completed this February.
Anchor Bay also recently distributed low-budget Australian slasher/comedy I Know How Many Runs You Scored Last Summer on DVD.