Lightning Entertainment has sold John V Soto’s Australian horror film Needle to a raft of territories including the UK where High Fliers will distribute.

Co-president Richard Guardian also announced deals with German-speaking Europe (Telepool), Brazil (PlayArte), Mexico (En Pantalla), South Africa (Ster Kinekor), Middle East (Eagle) and India (Purple Entertainment).

Needle won best special effects, cinematography and supporting actress for Jessica Marias at the recent British Horror Film Festival and became the first Western Australian production to win Sreamfest Los Angeles’ Golden Skull award. Soto and his wife and producer Deidre Kitcher privately financed the film with Western Australian investors.

The story centres on a killer who uses an 18th century machine with supernatural powers to terrorise college students.

The film also stars Ben Mendolsohn from Animal Kingdom, Michael Dorman, Trilby Glover, Tahyna Tozzi, Travis Fimmel, Khan Chittenden, John Jarratt and Jane Badler.

Needle is a highly original murder-mystery horror and we decided that the best home for the film was with High Fliers, who understand genre films and their audiences,” co-president Richard Guardian said.

“We are very pleased to secure the rights to Needle as we believe the film has a great future in the United Kingdom,” High Fliers’ Jeremy Rothwell added.