Rialto Distribution has acquired the rights for The Deb in Australia and New Zealand, with plans for a wide theatrical release in January.
The musical, from I, Tonya, Silence and Pig producers Ai Film, was the closing act at Toronto International Film Festival last year. An adaptation of an Australian stage 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 has been embroiled in litigation. Last year, Wilson said that she had reported the movie’s producers when she “found out not minor things, big things” related to “inappropriate behavior towards the lead actress of the film,” Charlotte MacInnes, and embezzlement. The producers, in turn, sued for defamation, saying that Wilson lied in a maneuver to release The Deb at TIFF and secure a writing credit. A lawsuit was later filed against Wilson accusing her of interfering with a distribution deal for the movie, with the intent of buying the rights to the musical herself.
The movie is set for a Jan. 15 release, with plans to roll the movie out in other territories late in the year. It’ll be shopped at the American Film Market in Los Angeles next month.
“The cast and crew worked so incredibly hard to create this joyous film, and we’re delighted to have reached an agreement with Rialto that will bring it to the big screen for audiences across Australia and New Zealand to enjoy,” said Vince Holden, Ai Film’s managing director, in a statement. “We’re excited to see the public response to its humor, heart and distinctly Australian spirit.”
The film, starring Natalie Abbott, Charlotte MacInnes, Stevie Jean and Wilson, is a coproduction between Ai Film, Unigram, Bunya Productions and Camp Sugar. It filmed on location in New South Wales.
In a statement, Rialto Distributions CEO Kelly Rogers said, “The Deb poised to join the rare pantheon of Aussie favourites 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, toe-tapping, big-hearted crowd-pleaser that celebrates community, individuality, and a touch of glorious chaos.”
Rialto Distribution’s international slate of releases have included Longlegs, Immaculate and The Promised Land.