First-time writer/director Hugh Sullivan’s time travel comedy The Infinite Man opened at four cinemas- Dendy Newton, Melbourne’s Cinema Nova, Perth’s Cinema Paradiso and Adelaide’s Palace Nova Eastend- last Thursday.
The four-day gross is $10,640, which is in addition to the $21,000 generated by screenings at the Melbourne International Film Festival, CineféstOZ and the Dungog fest.
Executive producer Jonathan Page said, “It’s a good start and points to a new model of releasing smaller films, focussing on a few targeted sites and keeping costs low. I think The Infinite Man is building a cult following and will be watched on other platforms, so if we can make a bit of noise and a bit of money at the cinema then we are on track.”
Produced by Hedone Productions’ Kate Croser and Sandy Cameron, the film stars Josh McConville, Hannah Marshall and Alex Dimitriades in the tale of an inventive yet unorthodox scientist who uses his technical expertise to create grand romantic gestures for his girlfriend.
The film was released by Infinite Releasing, a new banner formed by the producers and Page’s Bonsai Films. Page was the executive producer of The Babadook, Mary and Max and 100 Bloody Acres.
Madman Entertainment will release the title on DVD and VOD in mid-January, abiding by the traditional 120-day holdback, although Page is sure that shorter windows will become more common for Australian films. He is weighing offers for pay TV and free-to-air.
Invincible Pictures has acquired the US rights and will launch the comedy in cinemas following a 30-day VOD window via sibling streaming service FlixFling and Vimeo.
Page is also working with writer-director Heath Davis on Broke, an Australian drama about a washed-up, former rugby league star who battles a gambling addiction, starring Steve Le Marquand, Max Cullen, Claire van der Boom and Brendan Cowell.