‘Footrot Flats’ set for big deals

Press, 14 May 1987, Page 6

‘Footrot Flats’ set for big deals

PA Cannes The producers of New Zealand’s hit movie, “Footrot Flats,” rode into the Cannes Film Festival on the crest of a wave with the news of the film’s success in the Pacific. Pat Cox and John Barnett, in Cannes to promote the film, for European and United States audiences, say deals sealing “Footrot’s” distribution internationally are now only months away. The film has grossed $2 million in the box office in the four weeks it has been in Australia, breaking all records for, any New Zealand film there. In New Zealand, the film is one of the top five earners of all time, with over $2.4 million in gross takings. It is featuring as one of the three new, New Zealand films on offer at the festival.

“Already in Australia we are in the top 100

movies ever seen there,” Mr Barnett said. “We had a plan, we did some research, but we never guessed it would be this big.” Mr Barnett said the news from Australia had made his job in Cannes a lot easier. Buyers had heard of the movie and knew how well it was doing. It was just a matter of sorting out which offer to accept. “At the moment there are two or three parties who are interested in buying for world distribution ... but it is very easy to be seduced by the first offer through the door. It is a bit like a poker game right now.” Although the “Footrot

Flats” world of dags and sheep dip is a long way from the more cosmopolitan atmosphere of Cannes, Mr Cox was confident the film’s humour had travelled well.

Murray Ball’s cartoon strip has already sold in Scandinavia. “We know the humour is travelling — but we think it will be of major interest simply for its visual impact,” he said. “The reaction to the screenings here is so positive we feel very confident.”