Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami’s comical feature film The Breaker Upperers has been announced today to receive its world premiere at the prestigious SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas.
A hilarious comedy about two best friends who run a business breaking-up couples for cash, The Breaker Upperers was written, directed and stars ‘triple threats’ Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami as well as the welcome return of Boy and Pork Pie star James Rolleston to the big screen. Carthew Neal (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Tickled), Ainsley Gardiner (Boy, Eagle v Shark) and Georgina Conder (Free in Deed, Consent) have produced the film under the Piki and Miss Conception Films banner with Taika Waititi (Boy, What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnorok) an executive producer. The film will premiere at the festival in March before opening in New Zealand theatres on May 3rd.
Jackie van Beek commented, “I’m so excited to be premiering our new comedy at SXSW amongst a great line-up of other films. I’m an avid lover of country music, so premiering in Austin, Texas is a double whammy for me.”
Madeleine Sami continued, “Jackie and I set out to make a LOL film about two women who make a lot of mischief. I’m hoping we can make a lot of mischief in Austin too!”
With buzz around the film already building, The Breaker Upperers is set to be the smash hit Kiwi film of the year. Today’s announcement also sees the release of the films first still showing van Beek, Sami and Rolleston with newcomer Ana Scotney in action.
The Breaker Upperers was made by Piki Films and Miss Conception Films in association with the New Zealand Film Commission, Wallace Productions Limited and Department of Post Limited. The film will be co-distributed in New Zealand by Madman NZ Limited and Piki Films Limited and in Australia by Madman Entertainment Pty Limited.