Roadshow has acquireddirector Greg McLean's horror film Wolf Creek for an October 27 localrelease.

Australia's biggestindependent distributor acquired the film from Miramax sister companyDimension, which bought a raft of territories from Arclight early this year.

Producer David Lightfoot said the UKrelease through Optimum on September 16 will be the biggest yet for anAustralian film and the US release will be on in excess of 2,000 screens onNovember 18.

Wolf Creek was shot on HD and made for only $1m (A$1.4m) withmoney from Film Finance Corporation Australia, the South Australian FilmCorporation and a consortium of 10 investors. It played in Sundance andDirectors Fortnight at Cannes and has already become one of the FFC's mostprofitable pictures.

Wolf Creek was one of 10 films showcased tonight to exhibitorsat Australia On Show, the opening night of the Australian International MovieConvention, being held until Thursday on Queensland's Gold Coast. Speaker afterspeaker flagged their expectations that the next year will be a good one forhomegrown fare.

The award for 2005 AustralianStar of the Year went to Abbie Cornish for her role in last year's Somersault.She will next appear alongside Heath Ledger in Candy, also one of the 10upcoming films glimpsed by exhibitors.