EXCLUSIVE: Mark Lindsay, president of distribution at the US sales, financing and production company, will kick off pre-sales on the thriller starring Alice Braga, Abbie Cornish (pictured), Ben Mendelsohn and Sullivan Stapleton. WME Global represents US rights.

Mclean, whose credits include Australian horror sensation Wolf Creek, is set to commence shooting at the end of the year in Australia. Tania Chambers, who until recently served as chief executive of Screen NSW which backed Cannes midnight entry The Sapphires, is serving as producer.

Chambers is producing with Laurence Malkin and Share Stallings, the team behind A Few Best Men and Death At A Funeral, both of which Lindsay worked on when he headed sales at Arclight and Kimmel International, respectively.

Kill Me Three Times takes place in Eagle’s Nest, an Australian surfing town where a young woman is the thread that binds three tales of murder, blackmail and revenge.

Braga plays the lead and also stars in Walter Salles’ Cannes competition entry On The Road. Cornish earned acclaim for her role in Bright Star, which was also supported by Screen NSW.

Mendelsohn stars opposite Brad Pitt in Cannes entry Killing Them Softly. Stapleton appeared in Animal Kingdom with Mendelsohn and will next be seen in The Gangster Squad oppsite Ryan Gosling.

“From the moment Larry sent me the script, to the moment I breathlessly put it down with the words, ‘I must make this movie’ pounding through my mind, the project has become an obsession,” Mclean said. “To have such great actors on board is a dream come true.”

Cargo managing partner Marina Grasic said, “Greg’s unique vision for the film and his ability to capture an audience and take them on an unforgettable heart-stopping ride like he did in Wolf Creek is spellbinding.”

Lindsay added, “This will be the third film that I’ve had the privilege of working on with Larry and Share. The international buyers know them well and their ability to deliver commercially successful films.”

Malkin and Chambers will attend the market to support the launch. “It’s a tribute to Greg and the script that we were able to assemble such an amazing cast,” Malkin said. “Australia is a fantastic place to make movies and we’re dying to have another great experience with Tania, this time on a thriller.”