The Truth About Men begins shooting in Wellington

Press Release
8 October 2008
 
Tom Scott’s  “The Truth About Men” begins shooting in Wellington,
New Zealand
 
Principal photography commenced on the feature film “The Truth About Men” in Wellington, New Zealand last week with some filming also taking place in Berlin, Germany in November.  Written and produced by well-known writer and political cartoonist Tom Scott, and directed by world renowned commercial’s director Paul Middleditch, this bittersweet, romantic comedy is a hilarious, painful tale about marriage, bad sex and requited love. Leading the impressive cast ensemble is Aussie Joel Edgerton (“Kinky Boots”, “The Secret Life of Us”) accompanied by British beauty Rhona Mitra (“Boston Legal”, “Underworld – The Rise of the Lycans”) and the smouldering German actor Thomas Kretschmann (“King Kong”, “The Pianist”). Also starring are Kiwi, Danielle Cormack (“A Song of Good”, “Rude Awakenings”) and Australian, Les Hill (“Underbelly”, “Thank God He Met Lizzie”).

Mark Overett (“Unfinished Sky”) joins Scott as a Producer on the project.  “Without doubt, what attracted me to the project was the quality of Tom’s script.  It is an exceptional piece of writing – outrageously funny one moment, deeply moving the next – and reveals a universal truth about men.  I believe this film is going to reach a mainstream audience not only here in New Zealand, but in every country where there are men who still think about sex, and women who wish it could be better,” Overett said.

Wellington local Angela Littlejohn also joins the Producers’ team; her last movie project “Show of Hands” is due to be released in November.  Director of Photography, Steve Arnold fresh off “Disgrace” which garnered the International Critics Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, collaborates with Middleditch on “The Truth About Men” for their third feature film together.  Signed on as the Editor is Kiwi veteran Mike Horton. Horton has a shelf full of awards including a BAFTA and an Eddie for his editing work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”. Iain Aitken of “Sione’s Wedding” joins the team as the Production Designer. 

 
The film is financed by the NZFC and NZ On Air.  TVNZ have acquired the NZ broadcast rights.   International sales are being handled by Germay based sales company K5 International.  Australian and New Zealand rights to the film have been acquired by Hoyts Distribution.  Pre-sales include Holland, Belgium and Luxemburg (Independent Films) and Indonesia (Queen Imperial).

“The Truth About Men” is a romantic comedy about falling out of love for the first time. Not only will the tale resonate with men, but it will give women a shocking insight into how men think.  The story transcends culture, offering an internationally saleable tale expected to touch hearts, and inspire a tsunami of laughter around the globe. 

“The script is very funny but also is a hard-hitting honest look at relationships and marriage. To me it is a curious mix of being confronting but also really comical at the same time” said Joel Edgerton

Tom Scott penned the first draft of the draft of “The Truth About Men” over twenty years ago. 

“It has taken me twenty years to evolve into the writer I needed to be for this project.  The play “The Daylight Atheist” that I wrote about my father has made me more emotionally honest and given me more courage as a writer. The script of “The Truth About Men” has grown and matured accordingly.  …I had to do something at this age, it might as well be a feature film.  It was either that, or lawn bowls” said Tom Scott

Best known in New Zealand for his dry wit and political savvy, Scott acknowledges “there is a limit to what you can say in a single frame, in a cartoon” so has turned his focus to both the big and small screen in more recent years.  Projects include “Footrot Flats”, “Hillary on Everest” and “Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby”.

Acclaimed as the top commercial director in the Southern Hemisphere and currently number two in the world, New Zealand native Paul Middleditch is returning to his homeland to helm “The Truth About Men”. 

“What attracted me to “The Truth About Men” is that I read a very amusing and insightful script that was very pertinent to issues that face a lot of people in their thirties . It’s a very mature script from that perspective” said Paul Middleditch

 Aside from a wealth of commercials, music videos and short films, Paul has also directed two feature length films “Terra Nova” and “A Cold Summer“ which have screened at numerous international film festivals and gained him a director’s nomination at the prestigious AFI Awards.

“The Truth About Men” features an international cast ensemble including Australian Joel Edgerton seen in “The Square” and “King Arthur” and two of the “Star Wars” movies.  Edgerton takes the role of disillusioned husband Simon, a clumsy lover desperately in need of more celestial sex.  Tempting Simon, is the sensual, unhappily married musician Katrien, portrayed by striking British actress Rhona Mitra.  Mitra has starred in several phenomenally successful American television shows including “Nip/Tuck and “The Practice” and numerous feature films including “Sweet Home Alabama”. Katrien’s cheating husband, bohemian painter Klaus, is channelled by German-born Thomas Kretschmann.  Kretschmann is no stranger to New Zealand or Wellington having recently filmed ‘King Kong’ in the windy city. An icon of the German screen, he has also featured in such films as “Wanted” and popular television show “24”.   

Taking the role of Simon’s sweet but exhausted wife, is Danielle Cormack as Pam.  New Zealand native Cormak, has risen from “Xena: Warrior Princess” to the big screen in “A Song of Good” and “The Price of Milk” . Wisecrack Harry, Simon’s best friend and confidante, is portrayed by Les Hill.  Hill, a household name in his homeland Australia, has recently appeared in the explosive television series “Underbelly”.

Alan Lovell portrays Simon’s boss Archie Boyle, the whisky swilling Minister of Transport.  Lovell has worked most recently on telemovie “Until Proven Innocent” Joining Cormack in the Kiwi contingent is Jodie Rimmer of “Snakeskin” “In My Father’s Den” and “The Strip” as Joanne, Harry’s wife and Stephanie Paul from “Crazy Love” as Pip the newly announced lesbian. Michelle Langstone who stars in “McLeod’s Daughters” and “The Strip” fills the position of Simon’s single and devoted assistant Julie, accompanied by the esteemed matriarch of New Zealand theatre Kate Harcourt as secretary Mrs Simpson.

“The Truth About Men” is a co-production between New Holland Pictures (NZ) and Direct Hit Productions. 

Producers on the film are Mark Overett, Tom Scott, Angela Littlejohn and Co-Producers are K5 Film’s Oliver Simon and Daniel Baur.  Executive producers are Anton Smit, San Fu Maltha, Cathy Overett and Molly Hassell. 

“The Truth About Men” will be released by Hoyts Distribution to screen in New Zealand cinemas in the latter quarter of 2009.

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