Writer/director Brad McGann's debut film In My Father's Den has become the first New Zealand film to receive funding from the UK Film Council, which is financing the mystery alongside the New Zealand Film Commission and the UK's Visionview.

New Zealand producer Trevor Haysom (Crush), from T.H.E. Film, teamed with UK producer Dixie Linder (The War Zone) from Little Bird to produce the NZ/UK co-production, which started shooting this week on New Zealand's south island, specifically in the spectacular landscapes around Central Otago. The DOP is Stuart Dryburgh, who also shot The Piano.

Optimum Releasing will handle the UK release of In My Father's Den while Icon will handle the film in Australia and New Zealand. UK sales company Element X is handling worldwide sales excluding Japan, Australasia, and the South East Asian territories, which are being sold by the New Zealand Film Commission.

The ensemble cast includes British actor Matthew Macfadyen (Enigma, The Reckoning, Maybe Baby), Australia's Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings), and New Zealand's Vicky Haughton (Whale Rider). McGann's debut feature is based on a novel by Maurice Gee, one of New Zealand's foremost writers. McGann's short film Possum did very well on the festival circuit.