Topic, the streaming service from First Look Media, announced today that they have acquired North American rights to the New Zealand quirky comedy This Town for a May 20th streaming release as well as a Day & Date option to order the film via Vimeo On Demand. This is the first time Topic will release a film concurrently through an On Demand portal. Written, directed by and starring David White, this film about love, murder and finding “the one” also features Robyn Malcolm (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers), Alice May Connolly (Wellington Paranormal), and Rima Te Wiata (Hunt for the Wilderpeople).
The critically acclaimed film exploded as the first New Zealand-made theatrical release during the COVID-19 lockdown, opening in 114 theaters across the country. It was number one at the New Zealand box office for three weeks running, outperforming every other new release combined each week.
The film follows Sean (White) and Casey (Connolly), a typical budding couple in a small town in New Zealand. They met via an app, one date has led to another, and they are slowly introducing each other to their friends. There is one problem: Sean is widely presumed to have murdered his whole family. While Sean has to deal with a suspicious town, a dogged but bumbling sheriff, and an overzealous tabloid reporter, he wants nothing more than to prove his love to Casey by legally proving his innocence.
“We are thrilled to add David White and his inventive and bold voice to the family of Topic storytellers, who are characterized by their willingness to explore the unexpected in their work,” said Ryan Chanatry, General Manager of Topic. “This Town is a hilarious, heartwarming story that is sure to delight our audience”.
“I am so thrilled that Topic has picked up the rights to This Town,” added director, writer and star David White. “After the film’s stunning success down under, we couldn’t be happier that we landed on such a filmmaker-friendly platform to bring it to the North American market.”
Jennifer Liang, VP of Acquisitions at Topic, negotiated the deal with The Film Sales Company. Funded by the New Zealand Film Commission, This Town was distributed by Madman Entertainment in New Zealand and Australia and sold internationally by The Film Sales Company. The film is produced by South Pacific Pictures, White Balance Pictures, and Sabertooth Films. David White is represented by Stacey Testro International and CAA.