From: PT

The Queensland (State of Australia) Movie convention on the Gold Coast (where all the movie dudes who own cinemas blah blah go and meet) will show a 30 minute preview of LOTR. No one knows if it is the same as Cannes but let me tell you they are being as strict as hell with who is allowed to go. It is not confirmed but the lengths being taken for security make it obvious.

As for the Japanese release of the film… some interesting news… This is only “speculation” but it is good “speculation” at that.

The Asian pirate film industry is the biggest in the world and produces copies of movies filmed by a camcorder in the cinema before the film officially opens. New Line cinema hope that a six month delay in the opening of each film will prevent the loss in income to pirate copies of the film at first release. About 90% of these pirate films are made in Asia, I guess New Line are trying something daring!