Growing interest in River Queen premiere

Local interest in Vincent Ward's film River Queen is gaining momentum, with its Wanganui commercial premiere date less than a month away.
And the call is out for volunteers such as jugglers acrobats and the like to entertain the crowd expected to gather for the lead-up events on the afternoon of the premiere.
"We are expecting a large crowd and would like to hear from volunteers who would like to be part of the entertainment," publicist Sue May said yesterday.
The premiere invitation-only 6.30pm screening on January 24 at Embassy 3 will be followed by a gala screening at 9pm for members of the public.
Tickets for the gala screening are $45 each. Only 600 tickets are available and more than half have already been sold.
It is understood some of the public sales have been to people buying them as Christmas gifts for family and friends.
"Sales are going very well for the gala screening," Ms May said.
"As well as sales to the general public, businesses are buying them for their clients, which is very exciting."
Holders of the gala tickets will get to walk the red carpet and be given champagne on arrival.
Details for the premiere havestill being finalised.
However, Ms May confirmed that "because of budget constraints" double Academy Award-nominated film star Samantha Morton, who plays the lead role of Sarah O'Brien, would not attend, nor would any of the other overseas stars, with the possible exception of Kiefer Sutherland.
"We have yet to hear from Kiefer whether he is or isn't coming."
Attending will be director Vincent Ward, producer Don Reynolds and key members of the film's creative team.
These include Temuera Morrison, who plays warrior chief Te Kai Po; Rawiri Pene, who has the pivotal role of Sarah's son Boy; Wi Kuki Kaa, who is the tattooist known as Old Rangi; and Brandon Lakshman who plays Timoti, Wiremu's son; with several others, including Cliff Curtis (Wiremu), likely to come.
The premiere event has several elements, beginning in the late afternoon of January 24 with a River Queen-themed riverside waka arrival and gifting ceremony.
At this the waka, built for the film will be handed over by the film's producers, Silverscreen Films, to the Whanganui iwi "in recognition of their extraordinary contribution to the film".
This will be followed by a film-related street parade and Ms May said it was hoped spectators would come along dressed in 19th Century costumes.
"There will be spot prizes for the best dressed entries." All the activity, including the VIP red carpet arrivals, media activity and speeches, will be relayed from mobile cameras on to a big screen in Victoria Avenue, so that local people will get a close-up view.
Radio station More FM would also be running a street party she said.
The River Queen will be released nationwide on January 26 and in Australia in May.
To buy gala tickets people can telephone Verve Consulting on 0800-499-690 or contact the Information Centre I-Site Wanganui, next to the Wanganui District Council's chambers in Guyton St.
To be one of the volunteer entertainers people can telephone Verve Consulting from January 4 on 04-4996909.