The Shoe Box, a short film drama produced through Wellington-based Seriously Entertainment has been selected to screen on Rialto Channel beginning with a television premiere at 8pm on Sunday 8th February 2009.

The film was shot entirely in Wellington and boasts a cast of high- profile kiwi acting talent including Benjamin Mitchell (Shortland Street), Annie Whittle (The World's Fastest Indian), Nick Blake (Black Sheep), Jessie Alsop (Rules of Dogs & Men), Beatrice Joblin (The Lost Children) and Kate Harcourt.The Shoe Box, a short film drama produced through Wellington-based Seriously Entertainment has been selected to screen on Rialto Channel beginning with a television premiere at 8pm on Sunday 8th February 2009.

The film was shot entirely in Wellington and boasts a cast of high- profile kiwi acting talent including Benjamin Mitchell (Shortland Street), Annie Whittle (The World's Fastest Indian), Nick Blake (Black Sheep), Jessie Alsop (Rules of Dogs & Men), Beatrice Joblin (The Lost Children) and Kate Harcourt.Written and directed by Chaz Harris, (nominee - SPADA New Filmmaker of the Year 2007), the film tells the story of a young woman who inherits a shoe box full of keepsakes when her Grandmother dies with profound consequences for all those left behind.

Chaz says "The film was loosely based on the period following my dad's death in 2005, revisiting it with this film has been a way of getting some closure and perspective".

Chaz also produced the film alongside fellow Briton Anna Paganelli with a key product placement partnership formed with New Zealand shoe company Kumfs (whose shoe box features in the film).

Independently financed, The Shoe Box had a launch hosted by Peter Jackson's facility Park Road in August 2007 before premiering online and has maintained a steady flow of unique viewers at the website www.theshoebox-movie.com.

The film also featured music from well-known pop duo Pearl who recently supported the likes of Elton John and Eric Clapton on their New Zealand tour dates.

Chaz Harris first decided to be a filmmaker after seeing Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, walking out of the movie theatre in 1993 he proclaimed to his parents "I'm going to direct movies!".

Since then, he has worked in a variety of roles including for Oscar-nominated producer Alison Owen (The Other Boleyn Girl/Elizabeth) and within the development team at Miramax Films under a high-profile team of executives including Colin Vaines (former Executive Vice President, Miramax Europe).

After seeing Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, he moved to New Zealand where Seriously Entertainment Ltd was formed with some former co-workers. Prior to making The Shoe Box, he wrote and directed two other short films in New Zealand; a comedy short called Living with Rats and the horror/thriller In Your Dreams. He is represented by London-based agent Ambi Sitham (former VP Business & Legal, Miramax/Weinstein Co).

22/01/09