France's Wild Side Films has become the first distributor to jump aboard disturbingcomedy drama Suburban Mayhem outsideits home market of Australia.

The film, which stars EmilyBarclay (In My Father's Den) andMichael Dorman as her character's besotted boyfriend, is due for delivery atEaster and will be released locally by Icon. Fortissimo Films is handlinginternational sales.

Directed by Paul Goldman (Australian Rules, The Night We Called It A Day), the film is produced by LeahChurchill-Brown and executive produced by Jan Chapman.

Fortissimo co-chair WouterBarendrecht told Screendaily.com thathe expects many more presales to flow from Berlin, where he will be screening a promo reel to supportthe strength of Alice Bell's script.

The film focuses on a19-year-old single mum who lives with her father, is a master manipulator ofmen, and exists in a world of petty crime, fast cars, manicures and blowjobs.Churchill-Brown says it explores suburban badlands, what can happen when afamily irreconcilably breaks down and how murder within families is becoming socommonplace that it has almost lost its impact.

Suburban Mayhem uses some docudrama techniques including to-camera interviews. Thecreative team is currently adding music and working on the mix and will begingrading shortly.

The backers include FilmFinance Corporation Australia, the New South Wales Film and Television Office andpay-TV outfit PMP Showtime.