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Madman names NZ theatrical sales manager

Luke Murray. 

Former head of programming and acquisitions at Rialto Channel Luke Murray is joining Madman as New Zealand theatrical sales manager.

“We are very fortunate to have Luke join the Madman group,” said Madman Chief Executive Paul Wiegard. “Luke has been a key taste maker in the New Zealand film industry, with over a decade of curatorial experience. Luke's appointment reflects Madman's ongoing commitment to New Zealand content production and distribution."

Murray, who will report to GM of theatrical Nicole Titheridge, will manage theatrical sales functions while working with exhibitors. He will also collaborate with producers from the early stages of film projects through to theatrical release.

Following on from the recent success of What We Do in the Shadows and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Madman’s upcoming Kiwi slate includes Jackie van Beek and Madeline Sami’s The Breaker Upperers, which Taika Waititi is executive producing, plus Tony Simpson’s Kiwi Christmas and Florian Habicht’s documentary Spookers, which will debut this month at Hot Docs festival in Canada, before heading to Sydney Film Festival.

Murray begins at Madman May 1.