Strength of Water, The - 2009
Filmwork/Pandora Film - 86 min.
UPC 9333289004379; 9398711007496
Cast: Hato Paparoa, Melanie Mayall-Nahi, Jim Moriarty, Nancy Brunning, Isaac Barber, Pare Paseka, Shayne Biddle.
Screenplay: Briar Grace-Smith; Director of Photography: Bogumil Godfrejow; Original Music: Peter Golub, Warren Maxwell; Editing: Elizabeth Kling; Production Designer: Rick Kofoed; Art Directors: Mark Grenfell, Guy Treadgold; Costume Design: Kirsty Cameron; Production Manager: Jo Tagg; Producer: Fiona Copland ;
Director: Armagan Ballantyne
Set in the landscapes in the Far North of New Zealand, the film explores tragedy, despair and eventual hope by giving detailed exposure of the lives of the Kaneha family as they struggle with universal issues of human survival. The film has the spirit and texture of a specific place, yet the struggles of its characters are universal. A beautifully filmed drama that needs English subtitles, especially considering the amount of Maori dialogue. Filmed in Panguru, Pawarenga, Mitimiti and Te Henga.
Censor Rating: M - Review rating: C+
