Departures: Australian film gets distribution and heads to LA

The Australian made award-winning supernatural horror film Muirhouse has this week confirmed to have signed with horror distributors Monster Pictures (distributors of The Notorious and The Human Centipede films).

Muirhouse is set to hit Australian cinemas over the coming months. This follows the announcement that the film is heading to LA at the invitation of the iconic Shriekfest Film Festival.

“This is one hell of a ride”, comments writer and director Tanzeal Rahim. “When I started this journey almost two years ago I never imagined the film would get this sort of attention! Signing onto a distributor and being an ‘Official Selection’ for the 2012 Shriekfest Horror Festival is crazy!”

The Australian made film has found its success through reprising classic horror styles [such as Alfred Hitchcock]; where the thrills and excitement is left up to what you don’t see.  In the tradition of Paranormal Activity or The Blair Witch Project, Muirhouse is a documentary style film set in Australia’s most haunted house (pictured); The Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee, NSW.

“Our interest was peaked when we kept hearing amazing things about this film’ comments Neil Foley from Monster Pictures ‘We had the chance to attend a screening and found this film to be unique, fresh and appealing to a broader audience – we love it! The audience reaction to Muirhouse is phenomenal it genuinely seems to freak people out!”

Muirhouse is played out through the eyes of fictional ghost hunter Philip Muirhouse and follows his experience of a spending a night alone in the house.

“What attracted me to accept the role of Philip Muirhouse was that this was a back to classic style film” says films lead actor Iain PF McDonald “it reminded me of the thrillers from other times where suspense and anticipation lead you on a journey you couldn’t turn away from!”

This original Australian film has had many successes throughout 2012 beginning at this year Marche Du Film in Cannes where it got strong international interest from distributors.  The film also was then invited to compete in the Fright Night Film Festival in Louisville USA where it won Best Foreign Feature Film.  Following this it was privately screened to the township of Junee, NSW in June, and now the only foreign film invited to attend the iconic Shriekfest in LA this October.

Muirhouse will have its Australian Theatrical premier on Thursday, 8 November at Melbourne’s Nova Cinemas.