Warner Bros may back film

Press, 14 June 1978, Page 13

Warner Bros may back film

NZPA Sydney Warner Brothers might be interested in investing in the next film produced by the 1 makers of the New ZealandAustralian feature-length 1 movie, “Solo.” Tony Williams, coproducer and director of “Solo.” said in Sydney that arrangements to show the film at Warner’s screen unit in Hollywood were made recently by an American promoter, Mr Gerry Weintraub. Mr Williams and his coproducer. David Hannay. visited Hollywood on the way to the Cannes Film ) Festival and Mr Weintraub agreed to represent them in the United States. Mr Williams said that) Management 111. the company run by Mr Weintraub, was one of the biggest agents for entertainers in the •United States. He said Mr Weintraub would negotiate on behalf of Hannay-Williams) productions but not act as distributor. Later, in New i York, arrangements were made for Cinema Shares In-i temational to act as world-! wide agent-distributor, and it ■ had made a number of con-! firmed sales at Cannes. Warner Brothers was not j interested in distributing ai film in which it had no in- L vestment, but had issued an h invitation for Hannay- , Williams productions to ap-lj proach it with the next pro-; i ject. “The attitude of the).

■ people who saw ‘Solo’ was! that Perry Armstrong could ! become an international ■ star,” Mr Williams said. Perry Armstrong, a 151 year-old Petone schoolboy, plays Billy Robinson, the only child of the solo parent Hand firewatcher. Paul Robinson (Vincent Gil), who falls ; in love with an Australian, Judy Ballantyne (Lisa ! Peers), when she is making! . a hitch-hiking trip around) New Zealand. Another Hollywood com-i pany. General international) ' Enterprises, also had shown) interest in a co-production, said Mr Williams. It might) be prepared to put up) !SUSSOO.OOO for distribution rights alone for one film, or! double that amount for twoi films. A new script being worked on tells the story of a liberal-minded teacher fighting community prejudices. )Mr Williams said he honed to be able to shoot the film )in New Zealand, but the final decision could depend ;on where the finance came from.