NIGHT DRIVE World Premiere sets scene for SA movie release.

The World Premiere event of local slasher film, NIGHT DRIVE, held on Thursday 3rd February, had over 600 of the industry’s elite executives, A-list celebrities and cast members abuzz and has become one of the most talked about events of 2011 thus far, ahead of the movie's release this Friday, 4th March 2011.

Guests met at Jo’burg’s hottest nightclub Latinova in Rosebank, they sipped on cocktails while their anticipation grew, knowing any minute they would be whisked away to a secret screening location of the film. Excitement escalated as specially branded Night Drive double-decker busses pulled up, courtesy of the Gauteng Film Commission, and escorted by the metro police the guests traveled like true VIPs to The Zone in Rosebank, where they where greeted with cosmopolitan cocktails created by The Zone’s Liquid Chefs. This set the perfect tone for the uniqueness of Night Drive, a south African film with international distribution, its world wide premiere executed on home soil as unique as the film itself.

Featuring an all-star cast and set against the backdrop of a bushveld game reserve, the new South African slasher film, Night Drive, will open on 4 March.

Released by independent distributor Indigenous Film Distribution, Night Drive was written and directed by AFDA graduate and award-winning short film director, Justin Head. He says: “Night Drive had its genesis when The Film Factory was toying with the idea of a horror film set in the bush, an environment for which I have a great love. Coupled with that, the opportunity to work with such a talented cast and crew made the film a wonderful project.”

The film stars Christopher Beasley, known to South African audiences as bad boy Len Cooper in the popular soap Isidingo, for which he has received three best actor nominations. He is also an accomplished stage actor and stuntman. Corine du Toit starred in Egoli and Getroud Met Rugby. She has also appeared in many commercials, both locally and internationally. Greg Melvill-Smith, one of the country’s most respected actors, has starred in many theatre productions, major television series, as well as numerous feature films, including The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mr Bones, Drum, The Bang Bang Club, and the international hit, District 9. Yule Masiteng has appeared in drama series Mzansi, and stars as the sly conman Jomo Zungu in Scandal!. He also has several international television series and films to his credit. Brandon Auret is best known for his role as Dup (Leon du Plessis in Isidingo: the Need), but has since moved on into film and has starred in District 9, The Race-ist and Winnie. He has also starred in several local musical productions and is well known in theatre world.

Night Drive is a gritty, nail-biting thriller-slasher set in the unforgiving South African bush. While out on a night safari an eclectic mix of tourists are left stranded when their vehicle breaks down in the middle of nowhere. Local folklore speaks of the Hyena Man, a ruthless criminal mastermind notorious for heading up a well-armed, well-trained group of poachers on the hunt for not only animal’s and animal body parts but also for human being’s, dead or alive! As a series of terrifying events unfold, they realize wild animals are the least of their worries, folk lore becomes reality and their deepest fears unfold as the fight for survival begins.

Night Drive releases around the country on Friday 4th March in the following cinemas:

Gauteng
MonteCasino, Fourways
Festival Mall, Kempton Park
The Zone, Rosebank
Maponya Mall, Soweto
Key West, Krugersdorp
Zambezi Mall, Pretoria
Sterland, Pretoria

Kwa-Zulu Natal
Pavillion, Durban

Western Cape
Canal Walk, Cape Town
Parow, Cape Town

In celebration of Night Drive’s release, the celebrity cast will be attending various screenings of the movie and doing autograph signings: Please keep up to date by visiting the Night Drive facebook page on http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150096488336651&id=669536650#!/pages/Nightdrive/65747453472


Friday, 4 March
12h30 - 13h30 Soweto – Soweto Campus Shavathon
Leroy Gopal (Augustino)

Friday, 4 March
18h00 – 19h30 The Zone @ Rosebank
Christopher Beasley (Sean Darwin)
Kenneth Fok (Chang)
Tema Sebopedi (The Refugee)

Saturday, 5 March
12pm – 1pm Westgate Shavathon
Greg Melvill-Smith (Jack Darwin)
Tema Sebopedi (The Refugee)

Saturday 5 March
12h30 – 13h30 Clearwater Mall Shavathon
Brandon Auret (Ian)
Jennifer Steyn (Cynthia Darwin)

Sunday 6 March
15h00 – 16h00 MonteCasino Nu Metro Foyer
Greg Melvill-Smith (Jack Darwin)
Brandon Auret (Ian)
Corine Du Toit (Karen)
Antonio David Lyons (Denzel)

Tuesday, 8 March
18h00 – 19h00 Maponya Mall, Soweto
Antonio David Lyons (Denzel)


The Premiere was made possible thanks to the generous sponsorship of : The Zone, Liquid Chefs, Latinova and Itec Central.

For more information visit the official NIGHT DRIVE website at: http://www.nightdrivemovie.com
The NIGHT DRIVE Trailer can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipNEdQfOPuk
To whet your appetite, here are some behind the scenes interviews to enjoy:
Behind the Scenes part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUT0lnWxyUA
Behind the Scenes part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8zF9GDriyE&feature=related

NIGHT DRIVE : Some things are worse than dying.... Terror has a new destination