Samson & Delilah
“Late in 2008, Warwick and I were busy making the film and working with our local distributor on plans for releasing the film here, but we didn't have a clue about what to do overseas and we didn't have an international sales agent attached. From our short films we had interest already from some of the major film fests, and we had some experience dealing with the big festivals, but really we were feeling our way in the dark. Dealing with international sales and an international festival release strategy for a feature is something quite different to the experience we had gained from our shorts.”
“From the time Victoria and Sue first saw the film and approached us to help devise a strategy for the international launch we felt in very safe hands. They both have different skill sets that compliment each other. We made a plan and they made sure we stuck to the plan, even when we kept changing our minds. They led us to a great sales agent, guided us with a festival launch strategy and were always on the end of the phone to talk me off the ledge when things got tricky and I felt out of my depth. Victoria said she would eat her hat and her shoes if we didn't win the Camera d'Or at Cannes - luckily for her she didn't have to. But I was kind of looking forward to Warwick's promise to cook them up into a really nice stew (and he's a good cook too).”
Kath Shelper Scarlett Pictures
producer - Samson & Delilah
w/d: Warwick Thornton
sales agent: Elle Driver
international festival launch: Un Certain Regard, Cannes 2009 - winner Camera DʼOr
local festival launch: Adelaide Int’l Film Festival
Official Australian Entry to 2010 Foreign Language Oscars
Awards:
Camera D’Or - best first feature film, Cannes 2009
Links:
www.samsonanddelilah.com.au
www.scarlettpictures.com.au