THE south-west will get its first chance to see the movie Oddball on September 13.
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Warrnambool’s Capitol Cinema will be one of the first places in the world to show the film ahead of its Australia-wide release on September 17.
Warrnambool City Council’s manager of tourism services Peter Abbott said the Warrnambool screening, which would hopefully happen on two screens at the Capitol simultaneously, would follow premieres in Melbourne and Sydney.
He said the film’s star Shane Jacobson and producer Richard Keddie would be in Warrnambool for the Capitol screening.
Mr Abbott said a media blitz was expected to begin in the week leading up to the Warrnambool premiere.
A number of lifestyle program segments have already been filmed for TV, and magazine features were also on the cards, he explained.
A five-part documentary series on the film and its real-life inspirations – the world-first initiative to use Maremmas to protect penguins on Warrnambool’s Middle Island – will air on the National Geographic channel from September 6.
“Tourism Victoria is on board and helping in getting the media to come down, as well as developing travel packages for the national and international markets,” Mr Abbott said.
The film’s producers are presently overseas negotiating Oddball’s release into foreign markets.
All of these factors are expected to have a positive tourism spin-off for Warrnambool, Mr Abbott said.
“It’s very Warrnambool specific,” he said of the film.
“Lots of movies are made in regional Australia but not many are made and set in a (real) particular town.”
The film’s release will also coincide with the beginning of a Pozible campaign, which aims to raise $25,000 to help buy, train and house new Maremmas to take over from Eudy and Tula, who will become visitor attractions at Flagstaff Hill.
“We want people to come to Flagstaff Hill and meet the real dogs,” Mr Abbott said.
“We’re developing products at Flagstaff Hill to hopefully satisfy that interest.”
Pre-sale tickets to the premiere will be made available to members of the Oddball Club – www.warrnamboolpenguins.com.au – in the lead-up to September 13.
Oddball stars Shane Jacobson, Sarah Snook, Coco Jack Gillies, Alan Tudyk, Deborah Mailman and Frank Woodley.