Local NZ Company Rialto Distribution Leads Recovery Process For Independent Cinemas

Thursday 14th May: Independent cinemas around the country will reopen from today, with local NZ-based film distributor Rialto Distribution helping to lead the way in the recovery process. A brilliant slate of new films are lined-up for Kiwis to enjoy at their local community cinemas over the coming weeks and months as Aotearoa returns to a new-norm.

May release titles include the Academy Award-nominated Les Misérables, charming comedy All at Sea starring Brian Cox (Succession), and British BAFTA winner Bait. Also premiering in May is The Assistant, a searing thriller looking at the day in the life of an assistant to a powerful executive starring Ozark’s Julia Garner, and Last Full Measure, a gripping true story starring Christopher Plummer, Ed Harris, Diane Ladd, Linus Roache and Samuel L Jackson.

Looking ahead to June, Sundance Film Festival Audience Award Winner Burden starring Forest Whitaker, Andrea Riseborough & Tom Wilkinson will see its local premiere, along with Resistance, based on the true story of Marcel Marceau’s days in the French Resistance, starring Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network). Love Sarah is a heart-warming British dramedy starring Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), and horror film The Wretched will premiere from the directors of Deadheads.

Kelly Rogers, CEO at Rialto Distribution commented: “It’s so important for culture and entertainment to be reignited for the benefit of our local communities. It’s our hope that Kiwis show solidarity by getting out there to support local businesses and independent cinemas with their friends. It’s been a while and we’re certainly looking forward to it.”

Independent cinema locations reopening their doors at Level 2 include Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Cambridge, Coromandel, Masterton, Southland, Tauranga, Otago, Wanganui and West Coast, with more to follow. Flicks.co.nz have an up to date list of venues. Appropriate measures for social distancing, theatre cleaning and contact tracing will be in place.

Rialto Distribution’s approach is to offer a wide and diverse selection of quality & commercial films for a broad and discerning audience, with July and beyond including Bel Canto starring award-winning actress Julianne Moore and based on Ann Patchett’s novel. Crime thriller Infamous with Bella Thorne, and audience-fave Fatima featuring music from Andrea Bocelli. Also coming up is the Kiwi must-see feel-good film Frocks and Divas, comedy-drama 23 Walks, a film about finding love later in life starring Alison Steadman (Price & Prejudice) and Dave Johns (Fisherman’s Friends), and Cousins, based on Patricia Grace’s classic New Zealand novel of the same name.

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