Needle secures early 2012 theatrical release in Mexico as the film launches across North America on DVD and VOD

Filmscope Entertainment (Filmscope) is pleased to announce that NEEDLE has secured a theatrical release in Mexico through distributor En Pantella, with a release scheduled for February 2012 on 50 screens.

Producer, Deidre Kitcher noted “Needle has been sold in over 74 countries worldwide but has been particularly successful in Turkey, where it was seen by over 55,000 people on 62 screens grossing some $260,000 USD. This has lead to the Mexican distributor confirming the theatrical release plans for early 2012, which is quite exciting.”

In addition, November 29^th, 2011 saw Lionsgate release the film across North America on DVD and VOD in a major release backed by a strong marketing campaign and a fresh trailer.

Director John V. Soto noted “The Needle DVD is available in over 5000 rental and retail outlets throughout the US and Canada. In addition the film is available on Netflix and iTunes for instant download/VOD. Few Australian films secure a release in the US and even fewer with a quality distributor like Lionsgate, so we’re very happy with what we have achieved to date.”

November 24^th, 2011 saw the Australian Blu-Ray and DVD release of Needle through Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) across Australia, through a host of quality rental and retail stores including Blockbuster, Video-Ezy, Oovie, Quickflix, Leading Edge, Civic Video, Big W, JB HiFi, Sanity and Elan.

Deidre commented “SPHE have a great team of enthusiastic film professionals and they have really got behind Needle.  With their help we have achieved good distribution of our DVD nationally and we predict very solid sales results despite a tough market.”

Needle has received many positive reviews from Australian critics with Andrew Urban calling it “an engaging and well executed supernatural thriller,” Simon Foster (SBS) said that “the film delivers in spades all the prerequisites that fans demand,” and Travis Johnson from Xpress Magazine said “The film has no shame in its modest ambitions, and it fulfils its remit with admirable panache. Soto is an excellent visual stylist and he clearly knows a thing or two about pacing and suspense.”  Dov Kornitts from FILMINK sums up the film as “a solid scarefest.”

Overseas critics have also praised the film with Killerfilm giving Needle a score of 4 out of 5, with genre specialist Alex Scott Webster saying “…Needle is an above-average slasher with a refreshingly original plot device.”

Needle is the first West Australian film to win a “Golden Skull” award at Screamfest (2010) Los Angeles along with a slew of awards at the British Horror Film Festival which included Best Cinematography, Best Special Effects and Best Supporting Actress.

Needle also won a number of awards at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival including; Best Cinematography and Best Actor (Michael Dorman) with the “Special Jury Prize” being awarded to the Director, John V. Soto.

Filmed in Perth, Needle features the cream of Australian acting talent including Jessica Marais (Packed to the Rafters), Michael Dorman (Daybreakers, Triangle), Trilby Glover (Righteous Kill), Tahyna Tozzi (Wolverine), Travis Fimmel (The Beast, The Valley), Ben Mendolsohn (Animal Kingdom), Khan Chittenden (West), John Jarratt (Wolf Creek) and Jane Badler (V TV series).

Needle, is about a college student who must unmask a killer who is harnessing the deadly powers of a sinister 18th century machine to target his friends.