Rialto Distribution has acquired the rights to The Deb in Australia and New Zealand, with plans for a wide theatrical release in January.
The musical comedy, Me, Tonya, silence And Pig from producers Ai Film, was the closing act at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Adapted from an Australian play of the same name, Wilson’s directorial debut follows a city girl who moves to the outback and helps her cousin become a debutante.
The production was involved in litigation. Last year, Wilson said she blew the whistle on the film’s producers when she “discovered not minor things, but big things” related to “inappropriate behavior toward the film’s lead actress,” Charlotte MacInnes, and embezzlement. The producers, in turn, filed a defamation suit, claiming that Wilson had lied as part of a scheme to free The Deb at TIFF and get a writing credit. A lawsuit was later filed against Wilson, accusing her of interfering with a deal to distribute the film, in an attempt to purchase the rights to the musical herself.
The film is set to be released on January 15, and there are plans to roll it out to other territories at the end of the year. It will be sold at the American Film Market in Los Angeles next month.
“The cast and crew have worked incredibly hard to create this joyful film, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement with Rialto that will bring it to the big screen for audiences in Australia and New Zealand to enjoy,” Vince Holden, managing director of Ai Film, said in a statement. “We’re excited to see the audience’s reaction to his uniquely Australian humour, heart and spirit.”
The film, starring Natalie Abbott, Charlotte MacInnes, Stevie Jean and Wilson, is a co-production between Ai Film, Unigram, Bunya Productions and Camp Sugar. It was filmed on location in New South Wales.
In a statement, Kelly Rogers, CEO of Rialto Distributions, said: “The Deb on the verge of joining the rare pantheon of Australian favorites like Muriel’s wedding And Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: unmistakably Australian, irreverently funny, emotionally honest and full of heart. She added: “It’s a dazzling, captivating and big-hearted film that will appeal to audiences who celebrate community, individuality and a touch of glorious chaos.”
Rialto Distribution’s international release slate includes Long legs, immaculate And The Promised Land.
