Fans to flood in for thriller

MOVIE stars John Jarratt and Craig McLachlan endured torrential rain and starry-eyed fans when they ventured to Ipswich last year to film Savages Crossing.

Soon locals will get the chance to see the finished product for themselves.

Winnah Films executive director Simon Mathias said the company was entering the final stages of negotiation with distributors.

Mr Mathias said audiences could look forward to seeing the locally produced movie “the first half of this year”.

“Anecdotally some of the larger studios hold over product, so we're waiting to see when other films are released and we will work around that,” Mr Mathias said.

Set in the Australian outback, the movie focuses on a group of people stuck in a roadhouse during a flood and stars Jarratt, McLachlan, Charlie Jarratt, Rebecca Smart and Sacha Horler.

Mr Mathias described the movie as fast-paced.

“As opposed to Wolf Creek (in which Jarratt played the murderous Mick Taylor), which was more of a harrowing drama, this is more a psychological thriller with John as the lead protagonist,” he said.

Featuring a medley of action sequences, he said the drama was best suited on the big screen.

“We would encourage people to view the movie in the theatre when the time is right,” Mr Mathias said.

“There is still no substitute for viewing the film, which has lots of big scenes with flooded river crossings, even in a great home theatre.”

Mr Mathias said the film was “probably 90 per cent there” and the company was in the process of “polishing things up”.

He said it was hoped locals would get to view their transformed back yard in Ipswich.

“We would certainly like to see it shown in the Ipswich area on the wide screen,” Mr Mathias said.

“It should become clear over the coming weeks.”

Savages Crossing was the first feature film to come out of the Jarratt backed film production company, with further movies in the works.