The new movie Top End Wedding had its Australian premiere in Palmerston, at a cinema just outside Darwin, last night.
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If the audience was anything to go by, granted many of them were cousins and friends invited by the film's star Miranda Tapsell, they loved it.
Tapsell, and her co-lead in this romantic comedy, Gwilym Lee (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Tourist), were on hand with many of the movie's other stars for the rare red carpet invitation only event.
Other than Tapsell's Tiwi Island and her Darwin friends and family, there was a strong showing from the Northern Territory Government senior officials and Ministers as well.
The movie draws strongly on the natural wonders from the top of Australia - from Kakadu, to Nitmiluk Gorge (Katherine) and comes home with a bang in the Tiwi Islands, just off the coast from Darwin.
Top End Wedding follows successful Sydney lawyer Lauren (Tapsell) and her fiance Ned (Gwilym Lee).
Newly engaged and in love, they have just 10 days to pull off their dream Top End Wedding - but of course they hit a snag.
And so, the adventure begins as the couple traipse through the unforgiving Top End to track down Lauren's mother so she can attend the wedding.
A successful run at the cinemas from next month will do more for NT tourism than any taxpayer-funded advertising campaigns - at least that's what everyone hopes.
"Many people say the Top End is too hot and too far," Ms Tapsell said.
"We say it's beautiful and it's worth it (the journey)."
Taree's Wayne Blair was also on the red carpet as the film's director, having already scored a hit with Tapsell in a leading role in The Sapphires.
As well as featuring the remarkable landscapes of the north, the film is also a celebration of Indigenous culture and language.
Last night's packed house never stopped laughing during the movie's showing and going on the exit reviews, they loved it and they loved Tapsell who not only starred but co-wrote and helped produce it.
She said earlier the film was the culmination of five years' work.
She was also hopeful people would see the movie and want to come and see the Top End for themselves.
"I think they will want to come and see the (Nitmiluk) gorge for themselves, it was one of the highlights of the film for me, it is unique," she told us.
She believes the film will do more for the Top End than Crocodile Dundee ever did.
"I hope the movie will transport them to that place but there is nothing like seeing it for yourself."
Top End Wedding will feature during the NT Travelling Film Festival which will be screening on the jetty lawns at Nitmiluk on May 18.
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