The film, which was partially filmed in Tapanui over a four-week period last year, will be screened at the West Otago Community Centre on August 13 as a "thank you'' to the community for hosting the film crew and production.
New Zealand Film Commission head of incentives Catherine Bates said Tapanui played a pivotal role in the "re-imagining'' of the Disney film, which will have its world premiere in Los Angeles on August 8.
The film will go on general release in the United Kingdom and United States on August 12, but will not be released in New Zealand until September 15.
The August screening in Tapanui was a chance for the community to see the film before anyone else in New Zealand, Mrs Bates said.
A batch of 400 tickets to the "give back screening'' of the film were given away yesterday and all had "disappeared'' swiftly.
Because of the intense local interest in the film, Disney Studios had decided to hold a second screening on the same day, Mrs Bates said last night.
"We really didn't want anyone to miss out, especially those who were involved, so we've put on a second screening.''
Ideal Print owner Jann Robertson, who distributed the first batch of free tickets, said people were lining up outside the print store on Northumberland St when she arrived at 8.20am.
She was surprised to see so many as it was a "miserable day''.
"We thought there might have been a queue but there was quite a big queue.''
The tickets were gone in half an hour, she said.
Top Nosh co-owner Farryn Crawford said her business partner, Aleisha Haskins, acquired tickets as soon as possible.
"She was probably about sixth in line,'' Ms Crawford said.
She was excited to see the film as her store was used as a location for the "Yellow Diner''.
The film trailer had already previewed some scenes featuring the town and locals had noticed the cafe in the film.
"Our scene definitely made it, which is pretty cool,'' Ms Crawford said.
As one of the caterers for the film crew, she said the experience was "pretty hectic'' as a lot of things changed at the last minute and she needed to "go with the flow''.
West Otago Community Board chairwoman Barbara Hanna said the town was lucky to get the little preview.
Similar screenings would be held in Wellington, Auckland and Rotorua, where the movie was also filmed.
The film's director, David Lowery, producer James Whitaker and executive producer Barry Osbourne would attend the Tapanui screening to "present the feature film back to the community''.
