The Katherine movie extras who performed in a film shoot at the Nitmiluk Gorge in May will have to travel to the USA if they want to see their world premiere.
Top End Wedding co-written and starring Miranda Tapsell will have its launch at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in Utah in late January.
Entertainment One today announced the feature film directed by Wayne Blair that Top End Wedding has not only been invited to screen at the festival, but has also been selected to screen in its premieres section – which showcases world premieres of some of the most highly anticipated feature films of the coming year.
The talented and creative partnership of Miranda Tapsell, director Wayne Blair, and producers Rosemary Blight and Kylie du Fresne, has enjoyed previous festival success.
Their 2012 feature The Sapphires, was selected to screen at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, and went on to become one of Australia’s biggest box office sensations.
Katherine was chosen as one of the locations for Top End Wedding, as well as Darwin, Tiwi Islands and Kakadu.
About 20 of Katherine’s budding stars were paid as extras to take part in the movie when filming came to the gorge in May.
Katherine resident Angus Pickering, just 15 years old, was on a movie set for the first time with his mother Megan Pickering.
Mr Pickering said he hopes this movie set is the first of many in his acting career.
“There are not many acting opportunities in Katherine, I am always on the look out, so when (the call for extras) came up I jumped at the chance,” he said.
On being selected to premiere at Sundance, Wayne Blair said, “To have Top End receive this recognition from Sundance is special and humbling. We are thrilled to be unveiling our film at Park City, and excited not only by the possibilities this experience may bring, but also to be able to showcase the film to an international audience and share with them a story we are all proud of.”
The movie tells the story of successful Sydney lawyer Lauren, played by Miranda Tapsell and her fiancée Ned, played by British actor Gwilym Lee (Bohemian Rhapsody, Jamestown).
It also features a stellar ensemble cast including; Shari Sebbens (Thor: Ragnarok, The Sapphires, Redfern Now), Kerry Fox (Bright Star,Cloud Street) and Ursula Yovich (The Code, Around The Block, Australia).
Engaged and in love, Lauren and Ned have just ten days to find Lauren's mother who has gone AWOL somewhere in the Northern Territory, reunite her parents, and pull off their dream Top End wedding.
As the couple travel through Australia’s Top End, including Katherine, they find fulfilment for their own personal journeys through both the wild beauty of the Northern Territory landscapes, and the unbeatable charm of the characters they meet along the way.
Entertainment One will release the film in Australian and New Zealand cinemas in 2019, with international sales by Berlin-based Films Boutique.
The 2019 Sundance Film Festival runs from January 24 to February 3.
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