The horror! Locally-linked production bags US film festival launch

A Colour City-produced horror comedy movie recently gained a US Film Festival Launch in the United States.

Orange-based film and TV production and distribution studio, Arcadia, recently celebrated the World Premiere of their latest film, Sissy at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

The Canberra-shot horror comedy, from the team behind Kodi Smit-McPhee’s time travel thriller 2067 (now available on Netflix), premiered on the opening night of the festival in the “Midnighters Section” of the Festival to a sell-out crowd and critical acclaim.

Sissy stars Aisha Dee (The Bold Type) as Cecilia, “Sissy”, a successful social media influencer living the dream, until she runs into her ex-teenage best friend. Invited away on a bachelorette weekend, however, Sissy ends up stuck in a remote cabin with her high school bully.

Produced by Arcadia’s Lisa Shaunessy and Bec Janek, and executive produced by Alexandra Burke and Seth Larney, the film also stars Yerin Ha, Lucy Barrett, Daniel Monks, Emily De Margheriti, and Hannah Barlow, who co-wrote the script and co-directed with Kane Senes.

“We're honoured to have premiered in the Midnighters Section on the opening night of the festival. SXSW has a wonderful track record of world premieres, including some of our favourite films of the past few years: A Quiet Place, Booksmart and Spring Breakers,” producer Bec Janek said.

“To have Sissy, a film we shot in Canberra, recognised in this company is fantastic and it was amazing to unleash this film on audiences at SXSW. To have the film so well-received by critics and audiences alike is a dream come true,” she added.

Sissy is currently rated at 100 per cent on film review-aggregation website “Rotten Tomatoes” and the streaming rights have been snapped up by horror streaming service, Shudder.

Also producing alongside Arcadia was John De Margheriti of DEMS Entertainment, The Academy of Interactive Entertainment and Jason Taylor for Freedom Films.

Arcadia, who moved operations to Endsleigh Avenue, Orange two years ago, is planning to release Sissy in Australian cinemas around Halloween 2022.