PERFECT STRANGERS, the chilling romance film written and directed by Gaylene Preston, yesterday won its third international award: It was awarded Best Film at The Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto in a unanimous decision by a nine-person jury.

Another New Zealand film, Lands of Our Fathers, produced and directed by Jennifer Bush Daumec and executive produced by Preston, was a finalist in the best documentary category.

Starring Rachael Blake (Lantana) and Sam Neill, Perfect Strangers is now in DVD release in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and United States where it has sold over 100,000 units. It is screening on Sky Television in New Zealand this week and has an Italian theatric release pending.

Rachael Blake won best actress awards at Vladivostok Film Festival and at the Fantasporto Film Festival in Portugal. Having screened at most major international film festivals since launching at the Melbourne Film Festival to critical acclaim in 2003,

Perfect Strangers was written by the director and produced by Preston and Robin Laing for Gaylene Preston Productions in association with Huntaway Productions, the New Zealand Film Production Fund, the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand On Air, and TVNZ.