Hi Gloss Entertainment

Overview

Hi Gloss Entertainment is a Melbourne-based film and television distributor founded in 2012. The company employs approximately 2 people and is headquartered in Fitzroy, Victoria (PO Box 2765, Fitzroy 3065 VIC). Hi Gloss distributes quality cinema and television content across Australia and New Zealand, sourcing titles from major international festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Locarno, Venice, and Toronto. The company is privately held and active as of 2026.

Hi Gloss has built a reputation for releasing a curated selection of arthouse cinema, ranging from festival discoveries to Oscar winners. The company's catalog spans French, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Belgian, Austrian, Greek, Iranian, Australian, New Zealand, and US films. Beyond feature films, Hi Gloss also distributes television series, including Inspector Montalbano and Call My Agent.

The company operates a DVD shop through its website and distributes across theatrical, home entertainment, and digital platforms. Hi Gloss can be contacted at info@higlossentertainment.com.au or +61 438 563 783.

Recent and Upcoming Releases

Hi Gloss's recent distribution activity demonstrates its commitment to festival-proven arthouse cinema:

Recent highlights:

• No Other Land (2024, Oscar-winning documentary, acquired from international festival circuit)
• EO (2022, directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, Cannes Jury Prize winner, nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards)
• Black Dog (directed by Guan Hu, Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize winner, neo-western)
• Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (directed by Laura Piani, starring Camille Rutherford and Charlie Anson, box office success in Australia)
• Benedetta (2021, directed by Paul Verhoeven, Cannes Film Festival selection, Queer Palm nominee)
• Charli XCX: Alone Together (SXSW Opening Night Film, LGBTQIA+ fanbase documentary)
• Evil Does Not Exist (directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Berlinale Silver Bear winner)
• Trifole (2024, Italian truffle hunting documentary/drama set in Piedmont)

Upcoming releases:

• Silent Friend (quadruple Venice prize-winning film)
• Put Your Hand on Your Soul and Walk (Sepideh Farsi, Cannes favorite)
• Michel Legrand documentary (about the legendary French composer)
• Trifole (theatrical release, Italian truffle hunting saga set in Piedmont)

2025 releases:

• The Cats of the Gokogu Shrine (Kazuhiro Soda's observational documentary, Berlinale Panorama 2024, sold-out runs at Sydney Film Festival and Melbourne International Film Festival)
• Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (Laura Piani's debut feature, opened mid-2025)

Distribution Model and Market Position

Hi Gloss operates a theatrical-first distribution model for arthouse cinema in the Australian and New Zealand markets. The company acquires titles from international festivals and sales agents, then releases them theatrically in Australian cinemas before transitioning to home entertainment and digital platforms. The DVD catalog represents an ongoing revenue stream, particularly for European cinema and television series with dedicated audiences.

The Australian arthouse distribution market is small but viable. Australia has approximately 26 million people, with concentrated arthouse audiences in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Theatrical releases for arthouse titles typically open on 5 to 20 screens in major cities, expanding based on performance. Hi Gloss competes with other Australian arthouse distributors including Madman Entertainment, Palace Films, and Transmission Films.

Hi Gloss differentiates through highly curated programming. The company releases fewer titles than larger distributors but maintains a reputation for quality. Its selection criteria favor films with major festival pedigree (Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Locarno), critical acclaim, and established arthouse audience appeal. The company's DVD catalog and television series distribution (including Inspector Montalbano and Call My Agent) provide revenue stability between theatrical releases.

LGBTQ Content in the Hi Gloss Catalog

Hi Gloss's catalog includes several LGBTQ-themed titles, reflecting the company's commitment to diverse arthouse programming. Benedetta (Paul Verhoeven, 2021) was a Queer Palm nominee at Cannes and screened at the Mardi Gras Film Festival and Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Charli XCX: Alone Together documents the pop star's LGBTQIA+ fanbase. Hort Auf Zu Lugen (Stop Lying, 2022) is a French adaptation about a gay author reconnecting with his first love. You and I (2014) is another LGBTQ title in the catalog.

The company's LGBTQ content is integrated into its broader arthouse programming rather than positioned as a separate niche. This approach reflects the Australian arthouse market, where LGBTQ films with festival credentials attract general arthouse audiences alongside dedicated LGBTQ viewers. Hi Gloss benefits from Australia's active queer film festival circuit, including the Melbourne Queer Film Festival and Mardi Gras Film Festival, which provide marketing platforms for LGBTQ titles.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For international filmmakers seeking Australian and New Zealand distribution for arthouse or festival-proven titles, Hi Gloss is a viable acquisition target. The company acquires from sales agents at major markets (Cannes, Berlin, AFM, Toronto) and directly from filmmakers with festival premieres. Hi Gloss typically acquires all-media rights for Australia and New Zealand, covering theatrical, home entertainment, and digital.

Deal structures for Australian arthouse distribution typically involve a minimum guarantee (MG) against a revenue split. MGs for Australian arthouse titles generally range from $5,000 to $50,000 depending on festival pedigree, cast, and perceived audience size. P&A commitments are modest, reflecting the limited theatrical scale. For a typical Hi Gloss release, P&A might range from $20,000 to $80,000 for a 5-to-15 screen theatrical run in major cities.

Filmmakers should understand that the Australian arthouse market generates modest revenue compared to North American or European territories. A successful arthouse theatrical release in Australia might gross $200,000 to $800,000 at the box office. Digital and home entertainment revenue can match or exceed theatrical for arthouse titles, particularly for films with strong critical reception and awards pedigree.

For LGBTQ filmmakers, Hi Gloss offers a distribution pathway in the Australian market that integrates LGBTQ content into mainstream arthouse programming. The company's track record with Benedetta, Charli XCX: Alone Together, and other LGBTQ titles demonstrates willingness to acquire queer cinema with festival credentials. Submit through a sales agent or contact Hi Gloss directly at info@higlossentertainment.com.au.

Notable Releases

No Other Land (2024, Oscar-winning documentary), EO (2022, Cannes Jury Prize, Oscar nominee), Black Dog (Cannes Un Certain Regard Prize), Jane Austen Wrecked My Life (2025), Benedetta (2021, Cannes, Queer Palm nominee), Evil Does Not Exist (Berlinale Silver Bear), The Cats of the Gokogu Shrine (2025, Berlinale Panorama), Charli XCX: Alone Together (SXSW), Trifole (2024), Hort Auf Zu Lugen (2022), You and I (2014). Television series: Inspector Montalbano, Call My Agent.

See Also

For how arthouse distributors structure MG and revenue split deals in smaller territories, see Distribution Deals Explained. For LGBTQ-focused US distributors, see Breaking Glass Pictures and Strand Releasing in this directory. To model revenue from a theatrical-first arthouse release in a smaller territory, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For how international sales agents connect filmmakers with territorial distributors like Hi Gloss, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue.