2013 /2014 and 2015 SEASONS
May 20th 'TROUBLE IS MY BUSINESS' * (DVD)
Trouble Is My Business is an observational documentary about an assistant principal who battles to keep his students in school and out of trouble. The film follows the stories of three Pacific Island and Maori students from a high school in the low socio-economic area of South Auckland as they struggle with the complex issues preventing them from getting an education. First time documentary director Juliette Veber spent a year at Auckland high school Aorere College capturing the trials, successes and failures of the students as they struggled to cope in the NZ school system. She filmed everyday for six months developing a remarkably close rapport with Mr Peach, the students and their families. The kids aren’t afraid of Juliette or her camera and they lay bare their lives for the film. Veber focuses her compassionate and unwavering gaze on charismatic Mr Peach and through him she provides a shocking, intense but often humorous insight into the lives of the students and the social, family and cultural challenges preventing them from getting successfully through high school and into some sort of future they can take a real pride in.
http://www.troubleismybusiness.com
"a thought-provoking and often very moving report from education's frontline..." "...a compelling watch"
Peter Calder, NZ Herald
"Every parent should see this film....I just loved this" "I'm going home this afternoon to watch it again!"
Paul Holmes, Newstalk ZB
"...an essential watch, a moving film about real people and real issues."
Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
June 10th "Queen of the Sun-what are the bees telling us?" * (DVD)
By the same director as ‘The Real Dirt on Farmer John’ which was so well received at the Settlers two years ago. We are lucky to get this so early after its release, thanks to Sumner and Barbara Burstyn of ‘Cloud South Films’ (‘This Way of Life’) who have taken on the Distribution of the film in New Zealand. To watch the trailer click on http://www.queenofthesun.com/
QUEEN OF THE SUN: What are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel, acclaimed director of the grass-roots hit THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN. Taking us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. Together they reveal both the problems and the solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature. This film is picking up awards wherever it is showing…
Trouble Is My Business is an observational documentary about an assistant principal who battles to keep his students in school and out of trouble. The film follows the stories of three Pacific Island and Maori students from a high school in the low socio-economic area of South Auckland as they struggle with the complex issues preventing them from getting an education. First time documentary director Juliette Veber spent a year at Auckland high school Aorere College capturing the trials, successes and failures of the students as they struggled to cope in the NZ school system. She filmed everyday for six months developing a remarkably close rapport with Mr Peach, the students and their families. The kids aren’t afraid of Juliette or her camera and they lay bare their lives for the film. Veber focuses her compassionate and unwavering gaze on charismatic Mr Peach and through him she provides a shocking, intense but often humorous insight into the lives of the students and the social, family and cultural challenges preventing them from getting successfully through high school and into some sort of future they can take a real pride in.
http://www.troubleismybusiness.com
"a thought-provoking and often very moving report from education's frontline..." "...a compelling watch"
Peter Calder, NZ Herald
"Every parent should see this film....I just loved this" "I'm going home this afternoon to watch it again!"
Paul Holmes, Newstalk ZB
"...an essential watch, a moving film about real people and real issues."
Andrew Hedley, Flicks.co.nz
June 10th "Queen of the Sun-what are the bees telling us?" * (DVD)
By the same director as ‘The Real Dirt on Farmer John’ which was so well received at the Settlers two years ago. We are lucky to get this so early after its release, thanks to Sumner and Barbara Burstyn of ‘Cloud South Films’ (‘This Way of Life’) who have taken on the Distribution of the film in New Zealand. To watch the trailer click on http://www.queenofthesun.com/
QUEEN OF THE SUN: What are the Bees Telling Us? is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from Taggart Siegel, acclaimed director of the grass-roots hit THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN. Taking us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive, this engaging and ultimately uplifting film weaves an unusual and dramatic story of the heartfelt struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. Together they reveal both the problems and the solutions in renewing a culture in balance with nature. This film is picking up awards wherever it is showing…
“JANE’S JOURNEY” FRIDAY July 8th THE FIRST SHOWING OF THE FILM IN NEW ZEALAND
Dr. Jane Goodall is world famous for her ongoing research about the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, and for her ongoing nonprofit Roots and Shoots programs that bring education and eco friendly enterprise to people in need around the world. She is a diminutive woman whose accomplishments are larger than life. In Jane's Journey, German filmmaker Lorenz Knauer chronicles Dr. Goodall's personal evolution to become the iconic activist environmentalist she is today, and follows her on her tireless travels to help poor people by bringing hope and practical solutions into their lives.
From Humble Roots To Tree of Life.
Using archival footage and family photos from her childhood and teen years in England and her first forays into the forests of Gombe Stream National Park, Knauer establishes Jane's joyful, playful personality.
Her love of animals began early, when her father gave her a toy stuffed monkey named Jubilee. She still carries Jubilee with her today; the toy has been held by Angelina Jolie and Kofe Annan, and touched by the countless children whose lives have been touched by Dr. Goodall.
There is footage of a young Jane with the chimpanzees and of the more mature Dr. Goodall again sitting among them. Her relationship with the chimpanzees then and now is awesome. In on camera interviews, she speaks about their personalities, and about how she eventually transformed her early observations and notes into the formal scientific studies for which she is so highly acclaimed, and then spread her knowledge through writing books, and to transform her love of chimpanzees and her commitment to protect them and their habitat into a broader concern for the future of all living creatures, including the human species, and the health of the planet we inhabit.
WE need a full house to cover costs on this screening, so if you want to see this film then BOOK NOW.
Many people have already booked and this is why I have sent the newsletter out early, so you can get it in your diary...
Apologies to all those involved with the ORATIA SCHOOL TRIVIA QUIZ night...which is on the same evening BUT the good news is FLICKS at Titirangi wil be showing the film on FRIDAY 29th at 8-15pm more details nearer the time.
Dr. Jane Goodall is world famous for her ongoing research about the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, and for her ongoing nonprofit Roots and Shoots programs that bring education and eco friendly enterprise to people in need around the world. She is a diminutive woman whose accomplishments are larger than life. In Jane's Journey, German filmmaker Lorenz Knauer chronicles Dr. Goodall's personal evolution to become the iconic activist environmentalist she is today, and follows her on her tireless travels to help poor people by bringing hope and practical solutions into their lives.
From Humble Roots To Tree of Life.
Using archival footage and family photos from her childhood and teen years in England and her first forays into the forests of Gombe Stream National Park, Knauer establishes Jane's joyful, playful personality.
Her love of animals began early, when her father gave her a toy stuffed monkey named Jubilee. She still carries Jubilee with her today; the toy has been held by Angelina Jolie and Kofe Annan, and touched by the countless children whose lives have been touched by Dr. Goodall.
There is footage of a young Jane with the chimpanzees and of the more mature Dr. Goodall again sitting among them. Her relationship with the chimpanzees then and now is awesome. In on camera interviews, she speaks about their personalities, and about how she eventually transformed her early observations and notes into the formal scientific studies for which she is so highly acclaimed, and then spread her knowledge through writing books, and to transform her love of chimpanzees and her commitment to protect them and their habitat into a broader concern for the future of all living creatures, including the human species, and the health of the planet we inhabit.
WE need a full house to cover costs on this screening, so if you want to see this film then BOOK NOW.
Many people have already booked and this is why I have sent the newsletter out early, so you can get it in your diary...
Apologies to all those involved with the ORATIA SCHOOL TRIVIA QUIZ night...which is on the same evening BUT the good news is FLICKS at Titirangi wil be showing the film on FRIDAY 29th at 8-15pm more details nearer the time.
"The Age of Stupid" Friday 12th AUGUST at 8 pm * (DVD)
Storyline This ambitious documentary/drama/animation hybrid stars Pete Postlethwaite as an archivist in the devastated world of the future, asking the question: "Why didn't we stop climate change when we still had the chance?" He looks back on footage of real people around the world in the years leading up to 2015 before runaway climate change took place.
Director:/ Writer: Franny Armstrong Starring: Pete Postlethwaite, Jeh Wadia and Alvin DuVernay
AWARDS :Griersons - Best Green Doc 2008 /Sunny Side of the Doc - Best Doc 2008 /Sunny Side of the Doc - Film Most Likely To Be Cinema Hit 2008 /Sunchild International Environmental Festival - First Prize / Birds Eye View Film Festival - Best Documentary 2009 / British Independent Film Awards – Best Documentary 2009
Storyline This ambitious documentary/drama/animation hybrid stars Pete Postlethwaite as an archivist in the devastated world of the future, asking the question: "Why didn't we stop climate change when we still had the chance?" He looks back on footage of real people around the world in the years leading up to 2015 before runaway climate change took place.
Director:/ Writer: Franny Armstrong Starring: Pete Postlethwaite, Jeh Wadia and Alvin DuVernay
AWARDS :Griersons - Best Green Doc 2008 /Sunny Side of the Doc - Best Doc 2008 /Sunny Side of the Doc - Film Most Likely To Be Cinema Hit 2008 /Sunchild International Environmental Festival - First Prize / Birds Eye View Film Festival - Best Documentary 2009 / British Independent Film Awards – Best Documentary 2009
Saturday 10th September "Who Was Here Before Us?" *(DVD)
Produced by Greenstone Pictures. (85 mins) ( G) plus a short section of film of an interview with Barry Brailsford at an Iron Age fortress in West Cornwall where he talks about his early life and how he was 'chosen'
PLUS "Te Whare" (20 mins) A short film by Richard Green, a modern day short drama based on the Treaty of Waitangi...
Travel through the breaktaking beauty of New Zealand on a search for evidence that supports ancient stories of the early comers to the shores of Aotearoa more than 2000 years ago. See the evidence that supports the notion of an early settlement, and listen to the response of credible scientists for and against the stories of the early-comers.
Join Barry Brailsford, Noel Hilliam, Martin Doutre and Gary Cook as they present the findings of their work on the early-comers over the past two decades. This 1 hour 10 minute documentary presents all sides, and all views in a fair and evenhanded way. The viewer may then decide for themselves.
* We are hoping that Barry Brailsford and/or Gary Cook will be at the screening in person to take questions.
**In 1988, Te Pani Manawatu, of the Rangitane people, a tribe within the Nation of Waitaha, asked Barry to tell the story of that Nation and bring their ancient lore to the world. Te Pani Manawatu was the Ariki [Chief] of the Tuahuriri Runanga [Council] of Ngai Tahu, the prominent South Island tribe. This was an unprecedented event in the history of Maori, an amazing moment in the relationship of the indigenous people and the nation. The sacred knowledge shared had never left the Inner School of Learning before and now someone of European descent became the custodian of their greatest treasure.
To this day some Maori still wonder why the elders stepped beyond their own to find the voice to carry their message to the world. When setting the task, Te Pani Manawatu said…‘You have been chosen to write the record of our ancestors and tell the story of Waitaha because of your skill and the awhi [support] you gave the people of Ngai Tahu during the Waitangi Tribunal hearings. This is not the easiest of tasks because of the things that have been hidden away from the majority of the people. People will ridicule all the things you say and do in the name of Waitaha….it is a dangerous journey, it is a hard journey, you must walk it as a student…. Write what you learn and hear in peace and love…Carry your cross well for it is a heavy one that you bear.’ This decision to reveal the knowledge was made possible by a unique alignment of the stars in 1990, an event foretold four centuries ago. Now the wisdom keepers were free to share their sacred lore and tell the world it was time for the peoples of peace to stand tall again.
Produced by Greenstone Pictures. (85 mins) ( G) plus a short section of film of an interview with Barry Brailsford at an Iron Age fortress in West Cornwall where he talks about his early life and how he was 'chosen'
PLUS "Te Whare" (20 mins) A short film by Richard Green, a modern day short drama based on the Treaty of Waitangi...
Travel through the breaktaking beauty of New Zealand on a search for evidence that supports ancient stories of the early comers to the shores of Aotearoa more than 2000 years ago. See the evidence that supports the notion of an early settlement, and listen to the response of credible scientists for and against the stories of the early-comers.
Join Barry Brailsford, Noel Hilliam, Martin Doutre and Gary Cook as they present the findings of their work on the early-comers over the past two decades. This 1 hour 10 minute documentary presents all sides, and all views in a fair and evenhanded way. The viewer may then decide for themselves.
* We are hoping that Barry Brailsford and/or Gary Cook will be at the screening in person to take questions.
**In 1988, Te Pani Manawatu, of the Rangitane people, a tribe within the Nation of Waitaha, asked Barry to tell the story of that Nation and bring their ancient lore to the world. Te Pani Manawatu was the Ariki [Chief] of the Tuahuriri Runanga [Council] of Ngai Tahu, the prominent South Island tribe. This was an unprecedented event in the history of Maori, an amazing moment in the relationship of the indigenous people and the nation. The sacred knowledge shared had never left the Inner School of Learning before and now someone of European descent became the custodian of their greatest treasure.
To this day some Maori still wonder why the elders stepped beyond their own to find the voice to carry their message to the world. When setting the task, Te Pani Manawatu said…‘You have been chosen to write the record of our ancestors and tell the story of Waitaha because of your skill and the awhi [support] you gave the people of Ngai Tahu during the Waitangi Tribunal hearings. This is not the easiest of tasks because of the things that have been hidden away from the majority of the people. People will ridicule all the things you say and do in the name of Waitaha….it is a dangerous journey, it is a hard journey, you must walk it as a student…. Write what you learn and hear in peace and love…Carry your cross well for it is a heavy one that you bear.’ This decision to reveal the knowledge was made possible by a unique alignment of the stars in 1990, an event foretold four centuries ago. Now the wisdom keepers were free to share their sacred lore and tell the world it was time for the peoples of peace to stand tall again.
'OCEANS' * (Blu Ray only ) FRIDAY OCTOBER 14th at 8 pm (see newsletter page for more details) Oceans (Disneynature's Oceans) - Rotten Tomatoes REVIEW www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10011268-oceans/ Rating: 81% - 73 reviews Oceans is bound to be a big hit among children, stoners, stoners' children, spinster stoners, and anyone that enjoy movies with immersive photography Oceans is as grand and loosely defined as its title. Ambitious and awe-inspiring. First and foremost it's a triumph to look at. Its French filmmakers spent months tracking their underwater stars using the best new digital cameras, editing it with a view to keep the pace artfully maintained, as though they were in congruence with the oceans' swells and tides. Even for those who've overdosed on wildlife films, the team was rewarded by some unique, Oscar-winning performances: warrior-like crabs swarming on Australia's ocean floor, fish slipping into the folds of sharks' gills, dolphins voluntarily spinning through the air as though delivering a performance at an aquatic park. Co-directors Jacques Cluzaud and Jacques Perrin team up for this documentary produced for Walt Disney Studios' Disneynature banner and exploring the many mysteries of our planet's oceans. Almost three-quarters of the earth's surface is covered by oceans, yet strangely we seem to know more about deep space than the world of the sea. There's no question that the ocean has played a crucial role in the history and sustenance of humankind, but what secrets does the underwater world hold? Follow filmmakers Cluzaud and Perrin beneath the ocean waves as they seek out the answer to this and explore the many dangers and mysteries of the deep. ~ Jason Buchanan.
‘The Boy Mir * (DVD) 10 Years in Afghanistan’ (PG) 90 mins “The Boy Mir – 10 years in Afghanistan” a Film by Phil Grabsky (see reviews below) To view Trailer go to http://www.theboymir.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqSCqXA6u7Q&feature=player_embedded ABOUT THE FILM British film-maker Phil Grabsky travelled to central Afghanistan a few months after the fall of the Taliban. His aim was to produce a cinema film that would explore the lives of ordinary Afghans. One young boy caught the film-maker's eye. Mir is ever-optimistic; a smile always on his face. He is cheeky, inquisitive and full of humour. And yet, when the film starts he is living on bread and water, and owns nothing — not one toy or book. The Boy Mir reveals this day-to-day life of Mir and his family from a very close-up perspective. The narrative is driven by Mir’s journey into his early teens, when he will be expected to put his childish ways behind him and begin the difficult process of becoming a man. This is hard enough for any child, but Mir has to face this challenge in modern Afghanistan. In sum, this is a unique portrayal of life, full of humour, full of poignancy, in today’s Afghanistan. ABOUT THE FILMMAKER Phil Grabsky is an award-winning documentary film-maker. With a film career spanning 25 years, Phil and his companies Seventh Art Productions and PhilGrabskyFilms.com make films for cinema, television and DVD. THE REVIEWS “The result is a film that is simplicity itself yet moving and revealing.”**** Derek Malcolm, Evening Standard “This fascinating documentary spans a decade in the life of a irrepressible boy…a portrait of resilience and optimism of young.” **** Laurence Phelan, The Independent “Fascinating…beautiful.”**** Ed Porter, Sunday Times “Keenly observed and totally authentic, this is pioneering stuff.” Paul Bradshaw, Total Film "the young hero stumbles into adulthood against the backdrop of war, making you laugh and breaking your heart in equal measure" Village Voice, New York "Mir gets under your skin in ways that are memorable and poignantly real" Gary Goldstein, LA Times "A fascinating peek at everyday rural Afghan life" Dennis Harvey, Variety "An understanding of Afghan culture better than anything we've seen yet, it's well worth its ninety minute screen time, and a lot more" Jules Brenner, www.filmcritic.com. "Surprising, fascinating and fulfilling...An unforgettable portrait of a boy and a country". Ron Sutton, IDA Documentary Magazine “The Boy Mir not only gives us a whole picture but several majestic shots of the rural Afghan landscape over a period of time… extremely authentic” Ron Henson, American Film Institute Conservatory Arts Examiner THE BOY MIR- 10 YEARS in Afghanistan Screening on Thursday 23rd August at 8pm Doors open 7-15pm ‘The Boy MIR - 10 Years in Afghanistan’ (PG) 90 mins “The Boy Mir – 10 years in Afghanistan” a Film by Phil Grabsky (see reviews below) To view Trailer go to http://www.theboymir.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqSCqXA6u7Q&feature=player_embedded ABOUT THE FILM British film-maker Phil Grabsky travelled to central Afghanistan a few months after the fall of the Taliban. His aim was to produce a cinema film that would explore the lives of ordinary Afghans. One young boy caught the film-maker's eye. Mir is ever-optimistic; a smile always on his face. He is cheeky, inquisitive and full of humour. And yet, when the film starts he is living on bread and water, and owns nothing — not one toy or book. The Boy Mir reveals this day-to-day life of Mir and his family from a very close-up perspective. The narrative is driven by Mir’s journey into his early teens, when he will be expected to put his childish ways behind him and begin the difficult process of becoming a man. This is hard enough for any child, but Mir has to face this challenge in modern Afghanistan. In sum, this is a unique portrayal of life, full of humour, full of poignancy, in today’s Afghanistan. ABOUT THE FILMMAKER Phil Grabsky is an award-winning documentary film-maker. With a film career spanning 25 years, Phil and his companies Seventh Art Productions and PhilGrabskyFilms.com make films for cinema, television and DVD. THE REVIEWS “The result is a film that is simplicity itself yet moving and revealing.”**** Derek Malcolm, Evening Standard “This fascinating documentary spans a decade in the life of a irrepressible boy…a portrait of resilience and optimism of young.” **** Laurence Phelan, The Independent “Fascinating…beautiful.”**** Ed Porter, Sunday Times “Keenly observed and totally authentic, this is pioneering stuff.” Paul Bradshaw, Total Film "the young hero stumbles into adulthood against the backdrop of war, making you laugh and breaking your heart in equal measure" Village Voice, New York "Mir gets under your skin in ways that are memorable and poignantly real" Gary Goldstein, LA Times "A fascinating peek at everyday rural Afghan life" Dennis Harvey, Variety "An understanding of Afghan culture better than anything we've seen yet, it's well worth its ninety minute screen time, and a lot more" Jules Brenner, www.filmcritic.com. "Surprising, fascinating and fulfilling...An unforgettable portrait of a boy and a country". Ron Sutton, IDA Documentary Magazine “The Boy Mir not only gives us a whole picture but several majestic shots of the rural Afghan landscape over a period of time… extremely authentic” Ron Henson, American Film Institute Conservatory Arts Examiner THE BOY MIR- 10 YEARS in Afghanistan Screening on Thursday 23rd August at 8pm Doors open 7-15pm
The Yes Men Fix the World * (DVD) 87 mins (M) Troublemaking duo Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno, posing as their industrious alter-egos, expose the people profiting from Hurricane Katrina, the faces behind the environmental disaster in Bhopal, and other shocking events. Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno are "The Yes Men" -- two guys who combine political activism, performance art, and the love of a good prank in the name of demanding that the private sector take responsibility for the damage it has done to the world and its people. Bichlbaum and Bonanno specialize in setting up realistic-looking mock websites that claim to represent famous and powerful multinational corporations, and when they're contacted to speak on behalf of the companies, they deliver absurd satirical presentations that sometimes fool their audiences into believing they've seen the real thing. The Yes Men Fix the World received its world premiere at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.
SONG of the KAURI * (BLU-RAY only)
After the premiere screening of 'Up the Creek' for cast and friends on Friday 19th we have been asked to show the film as an extra with 'Song of the Kauri'. The film was written and directed by Simon Grant who works for the Twin Streams project and funded by the Waitakere Community Trust. The Settlers Hall was filled to capacity on Friday night with deputy Mayor, Penny Hulse commenting on the film saying, "Last of the Summer Wine comes to Oratia"
'Up the Creek' (Cert G 29 mins ) will be shown at 8pm followed by Song of the Kauri (G 87 mins)
The first film of the season will be ‘Song of the Kauri’ Friday 26th April @ 8pm
Can Kauri become our currency in the new world of green economics? Poetic, political and timely, Song of the Kauri is a surprisingly frank and firmly grassroots documentary film that every New Zealander
needs to see. Featuring acclaimed musicians Jackson Browne, Nigel Gavin, Michael Chapdelaine, Tiki Taane and Miranda Adams alongside philosophers, economists, historians, scientists, professors and
woodsmen, Song of the Kauri will entertain and anger, challenge and enchant.
'Up the Creek' (Cert G 29 mins ) will be shown at 8pm followed by Song of the Kauri (G 87 mins)
The first film of the season will be ‘Song of the Kauri’ Friday 26th April @ 8pm
Can Kauri become our currency in the new world of green economics? Poetic, political and timely, Song of the Kauri is a surprisingly frank and firmly grassroots documentary film that every New Zealander
needs to see. Featuring acclaimed musicians Jackson Browne, Nigel Gavin, Michael Chapdelaine, Tiki Taane and Miranda Adams alongside philosophers, economists, historians, scientists, professors and
woodsmen, Song of the Kauri will entertain and anger, challenge and enchant.
THE LAST DOGS of WINTER * (DVD)
'The Last Dogs of Winter' Directed by Costa Botes ( PG 87 mins New Zealand) Friday May 17th 8pm
Caleb Ross was an actor from New Zealand who pulled up stakes and relocated to Toronto, Canada when he fell in love. However, the relationship took a turn for the worst, and looking for a new adventure,
Ross headed to the small Manitoba town of Churchill, where he took what he expected to be a temporary job with one Brian Ladoon helping care for a rare breed of dog, the Quimmiq. One of the very few breeds of dogs indigenous to Canada, the Quimmiq is an Eskimo dog that was used to pull dogsleds and can
thrive in bitterly cold temperatures. In the 1970s, the Quimmiq was close to extinction, but Ladoon had dedicated his life to keep them alive, helping to breed the dogs and see that they're cared for properly. Three years after he signed on to help with the dogs, Ross is still in Churchill, working full time beside Ladoon in an ongoing crusade to keep the Eskimo dogs alive. Filmmaker Costa Botes offers a look into the lives of Ross and Ladoon, their demanding daily routine, and the animals they love in the documentary The Last Dogs Of Winter. The film was an official selection at the 2011 Toronto International
Film Festival and screened at the New Zealand Festival last September.
PLUS Short film BIG BAD DOG (2 mins)
Caleb Ross was an actor from New Zealand who pulled up stakes and relocated to Toronto, Canada when he fell in love. However, the relationship took a turn for the worst, and looking for a new adventure,
Ross headed to the small Manitoba town of Churchill, where he took what he expected to be a temporary job with one Brian Ladoon helping care for a rare breed of dog, the Quimmiq. One of the very few breeds of dogs indigenous to Canada, the Quimmiq is an Eskimo dog that was used to pull dogsleds and can
thrive in bitterly cold temperatures. In the 1970s, the Quimmiq was close to extinction, but Ladoon had dedicated his life to keep them alive, helping to breed the dogs and see that they're cared for properly. Three years after he signed on to help with the dogs, Ross is still in Churchill, working full time beside Ladoon in an ongoing crusade to keep the Eskimo dogs alive. Filmmaker Costa Botes offers a look into the lives of Ross and Ladoon, their demanding daily routine, and the animals they love in the documentary The Last Dogs Of Winter. The film was an official selection at the 2011 Toronto International
Film Festival and screened at the New Zealand Festival last September.
PLUS Short film BIG BAD DOG (2 mins)
The INTOUCHABLES * (DVD) (M) FRIDAY 31st May at 8pm
An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in its native France and across Europe. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicap millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy), The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humour between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. -- (C) Weinstein
1 hr. 52 min. Comedy Certificate M (Mature Audiences) Directed By: Eric Toledano , Olivier Nakache
Written By: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
An irreverent, uplifting comedy about friendship, trust and human possibility, The Intouchables has broken box office records in its native France and across Europe. Based on a true story of friendship between a handicap millionaire (Francois Cluzet) and his street smart ex-con caretaker (Omar Sy), The Intouchables depicts an unlikely camaraderie rooted in honesty and humour between two individuals who, on the surface, would seem to have nothing in common. -- (C) Weinstein
1 hr. 52 min. Comedy Certificate M (Mature Audiences) Directed By: Eric Toledano , Olivier Nakache
Written By: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
The WHALE * (DVD) Friday 14th June at 8pm Cert G 87 mins
THE WHALE tells the true story of a young, wild killer whale - an orca - nicknamed Luna, who lost contact with his family on the coast of British Columbia and turned up alone in a narrow stretch of sea between mountains, a place called Nootka Sound.
Orcas are social. They live with their families all their lives. An orca who gets separated usually just fades away and dies.
Luna was alone, but he didn’t fade away. There weren’t any familiar orcas in Nootka Sound, but there were people, in boats and on the shore. So he started trying to make contact. And people welcomed him. Most of them.
This contact did not turn out to be simple. It was as if we humans weren’t ready for him.
Inspired by myths, we look into the sky, not the depths, for others who might think and dream like us. We train radio telescopes on the stars, and listen for code in the static of space. But maybe we’re looking in the wrong place. So far, space just crackles, but the sea whistles back. And, in Nootka Sound, it sent us an open-hearted child. This story is about what happened then
For many years we have been curious about what it will be like when an extraterrestrial appears among us. Will things be chaotic? Will they be exciting? Will they be dangerous? Will there be controversy? How will we recognize this stranger? What will we share? Will this be joyful? Will it be sad? Will it be the best thing that ever happened?
Maybe it will be all those things. Maybe it will be just like what happened when a little lonely whale tried to make friends with us lonely humans in a place called Nootka Sound.
THE WHALE celebrates the life of a smart, friendly, determined, transcendent being from the other world of the sea who appeared among us like a promise out of the blue: that the greatest secrets in life are still to be discovered.
THE WHALE tells the true story of a young, wild killer whale - an orca - nicknamed Luna, who lost contact with his family on the coast of British Columbia and turned up alone in a narrow stretch of sea between mountains, a place called Nootka Sound.
Orcas are social. They live with their families all their lives. An orca who gets separated usually just fades away and dies.
Luna was alone, but he didn’t fade away. There weren’t any familiar orcas in Nootka Sound, but there were people, in boats and on the shore. So he started trying to make contact. And people welcomed him. Most of them.
This contact did not turn out to be simple. It was as if we humans weren’t ready for him.
Inspired by myths, we look into the sky, not the depths, for others who might think and dream like us. We train radio telescopes on the stars, and listen for code in the static of space. But maybe we’re looking in the wrong place. So far, space just crackles, but the sea whistles back. And, in Nootka Sound, it sent us an open-hearted child. This story is about what happened then
For many years we have been curious about what it will be like when an extraterrestrial appears among us. Will things be chaotic? Will they be exciting? Will they be dangerous? Will there be controversy? How will we recognize this stranger? What will we share? Will this be joyful? Will it be sad? Will it be the best thing that ever happened?
Maybe it will be all those things. Maybe it will be just like what happened when a little lonely whale tried to make friends with us lonely humans in a place called Nootka Sound.
THE WHALE celebrates the life of a smart, friendly, determined, transcendent being from the other world of the sea who appeared among us like a promise out of the blue: that the greatest secrets in life are still to be discovered.
The Sapphires * (Blu-RayOnly) (M) Friday July 12th at 8 pm
Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian
Aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group The Sapphires entertain the U.S.troops in Vietnam in 1968. Cynthia (Tapsell), Gail (Mailman), Julie (Mauboy) and Kay (Sebbens) are discovered by Dave (O'Dowd), a good-humoured talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. As their manager, Dave books the sisters their first true gig giving them their first taste of stardom, and travels them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops.The Sapphires is a 2012 Australian musical comedy film produced by Goalpost Pictures and distributed by Hopscotch Films, based on the 2004 stage playof the same name which is loosely based on a true story The film is directed by Waine Blair and written by Keith Thompson and Tony Briggs, the latter of whom wrote the play. Production began in 2010, with the casting of the four members of The Sapphires, and filming taking place throughout New South Wales (Australia) and Vietnam
The Sapphires made its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2012 . It gets a 93% rating on the 'Rotten Tomatoes' film review
Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian
Aboriginal girls from a remote mission as they learn about love, friendship and war when their all girl group The Sapphires entertain the U.S.troops in Vietnam in 1968. Cynthia (Tapsell), Gail (Mailman), Julie (Mauboy) and Kay (Sebbens) are discovered by Dave (O'Dowd), a good-humoured talent scout with a kind heart, very little rhythm but a great knowledge of soul music. As their manager, Dave books the sisters their first true gig giving them their first taste of stardom, and travels them to Vietnam to sing for the American troops.The Sapphires is a 2012 Australian musical comedy film produced by Goalpost Pictures and distributed by Hopscotch Films, based on the 2004 stage playof the same name which is loosely based on a true story The film is directed by Waine Blair and written by Keith Thompson and Tony Briggs, the latter of whom wrote the play. Production began in 2010, with the casting of the four members of The Sapphires, and filming taking place throughout New South Wales (Australia) and Vietnam
The Sapphires made its world premiere at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival on 19 May 2012 . It gets a 93% rating on the 'Rotten Tomatoes' film review
Creation – The story of Charles Darwin * (M) FRIDAY 26th July 8pm
To quote Eugenie Scott of the National Centre for Science Education, the new movie Creation
is a "thoughtful, well-made film that will change many views of Darwin held by the public—for the better." In this movie, we see Darwin as a young man, struggling with his faith as it conflicts with the evidence before him. His devout wife, less fond of beetles than Darwin, urges him to destroy 'Origin of Species' before it's printed, and important men of the day urge him to abandon his heresy. But as we know Darwin did not follow this advice, and the world changed forever.
A truly a great and moving tribute to Charles Darwin and his struggles.
This is definitely a touching movie, and a great expression of Charles Darwins personal struggle. The movie is not only about his struggle to get his book "the origin of Species" published, but also his relationship with his oldest daughter. His daughter was at start the only person in his family to approve of his views, something that she as well had to pay for.
Now, this is not an evolutionary propaganda film, as a matter of fact I think it managed to stay very neutral. A hard thing to do in my opinion. of course it does not condone the way the characters was treated by the church, quite the opposite. If you need me to use the big words to shed light on this film; it will be liked by deists and atheists alike, but goes away from theism. The movie talks about evolution, and that's it.
Paul Bettany as Charles Darwin was incredible. Of course we all may think of Darwin as that old man with the funny beard, but this movie centers around the man in his late 20's, early 30's. Jennifer Connelly (Emma Darwin) is great as always, but the actor who impressed me was Martha West as Annie Darwin, Darwins daughter. Definitely one of the best child actors of the decade. The story is about Darwin and his daughter, and it is beautifully acted.
Except for a few jumps in time that was momentarily confusing, the production of this film is pretty flawless. Some scenes were Darwin observes nature is just marvelous, and is almost like taken out of a high production National geographic documentary.
I give this movie a 9/10. This is truly a great tribute to Charles Darwin, give it a chance.( Movie Maker J.C.)
FIRST POSITION Friday 9th August at 7 pm (Doors open 6-30pm)
PLEASE NOTE that on the 9th August we will be showing the film 'FIRST POSITION" this will not be at the Settlers Hall but in the ORATIA school hall (opposite the Settlers Hall) it is being put on as a fund raiser for the PTA. Tickets will be $10 for adults $5 for children and $25 for a family ticket ( 2 adults 2 children) This is a stunning film which is based around a ballet contest with children from all over the world...if you think ballet is 'just for girls' then be prepared to have that theory thrown right out of the window.Synopsis.
Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. Bess Kargman's award-winning documentary, First Position, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence. A showcase of awe-inspiring talent, tenacity and passion, First Position paints a thrilling and moving portrait of the most gifted young ballet stars of tomorrow.
PLEASE NOTE that on the 9th August we will be showing the film 'FIRST POSITION" this will not be at the Settlers Hall but in the ORATIA school hall (opposite the Settlers Hall) it is being put on as a fund raiser for the PTA. Tickets will be $10 for adults $5 for children and $25 for a family ticket ( 2 adults 2 children) This is a stunning film which is based around a ballet contest with children from all over the world...if you think ballet is 'just for girls' then be prepared to have that theory thrown right out of the window.Synopsis.
Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world's most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, practice and discipline are paramount, and nothing short of perfection is expected. Bess Kargman's award-winning documentary, First Position, follows six young dancers as they prepare for a chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence. A showcase of awe-inspiring talent, tenacity and passion, First Position paints a thrilling and moving portrait of the most gifted young ballet stars of tomorrow.
Dolphin Boy *DVD 87 mins Friday 6th September (Israel) (PG) Documentary
Trailer (www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DH_s-yZ7Yucw&fromsearch=1)
Morad- a teenager from an Arab village in the north of Israel disconnects himself from humans following a violent attack that he experienced. As a last resort before hospitalization in a Mental Institution, he is taken by his devoted father to be treated with Dolphins in Eilat. Morad starts speaking again after months of silence, but he erases his past and refuses to go home to his awaiting mother. This documentary is about the devastating havoc that human violence can wreak upon the human soul,.
Trailer (www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DH_s-yZ7Yucw&fromsearch=1)
Morad- a teenager from an Arab village in the north of Israel disconnects himself from humans following a violent attack that he experienced. As a last resort before hospitalization in a Mental Institution, he is taken by his devoted father to be treated with Dolphins in Eilat. Morad starts speaking again after months of silence, but he erases his past and refuses to go home to his awaiting mother. This documentary is about the devastating havoc that human violence can wreak upon the human soul,.
STILL MINE (Canada) 4th October 2013
Storyline After years of stability, the lives of octogenarian couple, Craig and Irene Morrison, are slowly beginning to change. Because of changing times and regulations, they are no longer able to make a living from their small coastal New Brunswick farm. And Irene has begun to show signs of early dementia. Against the wishes of their two offspring who still reside in the area and who would like to see more standard care provided for Irene, Craig, the son of a master shipbuilder who inherited his father's building abilities, decides to mill lumber from trees on their property and with it build a more suitable, small one story house on the property in which he and Irene can live. Beginning this project with only a design in his mind, he is encouraged by friends at least to go through the regulatory process of building permits and the like. Despite being able to complete this project to more than exacting centuries old standards, Craig ends up hitting one roadblock after another in this.
Director: Michael McGowan Writer: Michael McGowan (screenplay)
Stars: James Cromwell, Ronan Rees, Geneviève Bujold
User Reviews
A heartwarming story for sure.... I remember reading in the Globe & Mail in the fall of 2010 about the people and events on which the screenplay of STILL was written by Michael McGowan and was delighted to see the story come to the screen less than two years later. It is so refreshing to see an honest film with no gimmicks. Produced with a budget of just $3M, filmed in northern Ontario and New Brunswick, it is a delight. It isn't easy to deal with the topic of dementia but McGowan handles it gracefully, with gentle humour and respect. Geneviève Bujold and James Cromwell give outstanding performances. It is a heartwarming story for sure, and garnered much applause from the audience.
Storyline After years of stability, the lives of octogenarian couple, Craig and Irene Morrison, are slowly beginning to change. Because of changing times and regulations, they are no longer able to make a living from their small coastal New Brunswick farm. And Irene has begun to show signs of early dementia. Against the wishes of their two offspring who still reside in the area and who would like to see more standard care provided for Irene, Craig, the son of a master shipbuilder who inherited his father's building abilities, decides to mill lumber from trees on their property and with it build a more suitable, small one story house on the property in which he and Irene can live. Beginning this project with only a design in his mind, he is encouraged by friends at least to go through the regulatory process of building permits and the like. Despite being able to complete this project to more than exacting centuries old standards, Craig ends up hitting one roadblock after another in this.
Director: Michael McGowan Writer: Michael McGowan (screenplay)
Stars: James Cromwell, Ronan Rees, Geneviève Bujold
User Reviews
A heartwarming story for sure.... I remember reading in the Globe & Mail in the fall of 2010 about the people and events on which the screenplay of STILL was written by Michael McGowan and was delighted to see the story come to the screen less than two years later. It is so refreshing to see an honest film with no gimmicks. Produced with a budget of just $3M, filmed in northern Ontario and New Brunswick, it is a delight. It isn't easy to deal with the topic of dementia but McGowan handles it gracefully, with gentle humour and respect. Geneviève Bujold and James Cromwell give outstanding performances. It is a heartwarming story for sure, and garnered much applause from the audience.
BEKAS 97 min - M Rating (Bad language) Drama (Iraq/Sweden) Friday 20th September
Iraq in the early 1990 was a devastating land to survive in. When we think of Iraq, the first thing that tends to pop into our minds is the war and Saddam Hussein. But there is another side too - it is perhaps the most notorious country in the world and it goes by the name Kurdistan. Welcome to BEKAS. This is a story about two homeless brothers (Zana, 7) and (Dana, 10) who live on the edge of survival. In the beginning of the story they catch a glimpse of Superman through a hole in the wall at the local cinema. Zana and Dana decide that they want to go to America and live with Superman. Once they get there he can solve all their problems, make their lives easy and punish everyone that has been mean to them. Zana, the younger brother, starts to make a list of all people he is going to tell Superman to punish. On top of the list is Saddam Hussein. Dana on the other hand makes a concrete plan for what they need to get there; money, passports, transportation and a way to get across the desert.
FRIDAY 20th September at 8 pm Doors open 7-15pm
Iraq in the early 1990 was a devastating land to survive in. When we think of Iraq, the first thing that tends to pop into our minds is the war and Saddam Hussein. But there is another side too - it is perhaps the most notorious country in the world and it goes by the name Kurdistan. Welcome to BEKAS. This is a story about two homeless brothers (Zana, 7) and (Dana, 10) who live on the edge of survival. In the beginning of the story they catch a glimpse of Superman through a hole in the wall at the local cinema. Zana and Dana decide that they want to go to America and live with Superman. Once they get there he can solve all their problems, make their lives easy and punish everyone that has been mean to them. Zana, the younger brother, starts to make a list of all people he is going to tell Superman to punish. On top of the list is Saddam Hussein. Dana on the other hand makes a concrete plan for what they need to get there; money, passports, transportation and a way to get across the desert.
FRIDAY 20th September at 8 pm Doors open 7-15pm
A TASTE of SRI LANKA...FRIDAY 18th October GREEN BAY SCHOOL SPECIAL SCREENING from 6pm...FOOD ...FILMS ...and FUND RAISING.... and more.....
So ..what next ? PLEASE NOTE that the next scheduled film night for the Settlers (18th OCTOBER) will NOT be at the Settlers Hall...it will be at GREEN BAY school !!! I have been asked to help put on an event at the school as a fund raiser for some pupils who will be travelling to Sri Lanka next year. I will be showing two short films that I made in Sri Lanka, Scent from Sri Lanka and Rain Forest Rescue International. PLUS a feature film from India OUTSOURCED...'Outsourced' is a modern day comedy of cross-cultural conflict and romance. Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) spends his days managing a customer call center in Seattle until his job, along with those of the entire office, are outsourced to India. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his new replacement. As he navigates through the chaos of Bombay and an office paralyzed by constant cultural misunderstandings, Todd yearns to return to the comforts of home. But it is through his team of quirky yet likable Indian call center workers, including his friendly and motivated replacement, Puro (Asif Basra), and the charming, opinionated Asha (Ayesha Dharker), that Todd realizes that he too has a lot to learn - not only about India and America, but about himself. He soon discovers that being outsourced may be the best thing that ever happened to him.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL !!! A ticket to this event will include a cooking demonstration and a meal from the Sri Lankan restaurant chef, Nandasiri Alwis from 7 SIRI Auckland's top Sri Lankan restaurant. Tickets are just $25 for the evening including the meal !! BE QUICK..tickets are limited....Call Fiona Drummond on 817 5445
So ..what next ? PLEASE NOTE that the next scheduled film night for the Settlers (18th OCTOBER) will NOT be at the Settlers Hall...it will be at GREEN BAY school !!! I have been asked to help put on an event at the school as a fund raiser for some pupils who will be travelling to Sri Lanka next year. I will be showing two short films that I made in Sri Lanka, Scent from Sri Lanka and Rain Forest Rescue International. PLUS a feature film from India OUTSOURCED...'Outsourced' is a modern day comedy of cross-cultural conflict and romance. Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton) spends his days managing a customer call center in Seattle until his job, along with those of the entire office, are outsourced to India. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his new replacement. As he navigates through the chaos of Bombay and an office paralyzed by constant cultural misunderstandings, Todd yearns to return to the comforts of home. But it is through his team of quirky yet likable Indian call center workers, including his friendly and motivated replacement, Puro (Asif Basra), and the charming, opinionated Asha (Ayesha Dharker), that Todd realizes that he too has a lot to learn - not only about India and America, but about himself. He soon discovers that being outsourced may be the best thing that ever happened to him.
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL !!! A ticket to this event will include a cooking demonstration and a meal from the Sri Lankan restaurant chef, Nandasiri Alwis from 7 SIRI Auckland's top Sri Lankan restaurant. Tickets are just $25 for the evening including the meal !! BE QUICK..tickets are limited....Call Fiona Drummond on 817 5445
Gardening with Soul (G) NZ
FRIDAY 15th November at 8pm doors open 7-15pm
A feature length documentary following a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin.
Sister Loyola's optimism is infectious and is fed every day by her love of gardening. Themes of faith, aging and compassion sit alongside the practicalities of community life, issues within the Catholic Church and the importance of good compost in this intimate, funny and moving portrait of a woman approaching the end of her life.
FRIDAY 15th November at 8pm doors open 7-15pm
A feature length documentary following a year in the garden with 90-year-old Sister Loyola Galvin.
Sister Loyola's optimism is infectious and is fed every day by her love of gardening. Themes of faith, aging and compassion sit alongside the practicalities of community life, issues within the Catholic Church and the importance of good compost in this intimate, funny and moving portrait of a woman approaching the end of her life.
Antarctica - a Year on Ice * (Blu-Ray only) Friday 29th November
Director: Anthony Powell, a satellite telecommunications engineer who came late to filmmaking, emulates his novelist namesake in creating a dance to the music of time in this impressive and unforgettable film.
The time scale he's working on is identified in the title (the last four words are every bit as important as the first one) but the movie, which Powell made with his wife Christine, is the culmination of 10 years' work on the great southern continent.
Words are entirely inadequate to convey the experience of watching this film but a couple of points must be made. First, it does not trudge the same trails as thoseFrozen Planet documentaries on the telly (to which Powell has contributed). The wildlife is principally human and it's a specific subset of humanity at that - people who choose, sometimes repeatedly, to spend the sunless winter at McMurdo and Scott Bases, confined to cramped living quarters.
They're the first to admit the experience has a weirdly disorientating effect on them: a telling sequence examines the complicated and ambivalent reaction they have to the new arrivals in the spring.
Few people get to Antarctica and fewer by far get to winter over, so this film provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of a very isolated tribe.
Second (while we are on the subject of the telly), this is definitely not a film you should wait to see when it turns up on the box. The big Civic screen was a fitting place for its world premiere at the film festival; watching it projected on anything smaller than a cinema screen would be an insult.
For what it conveys more than anything else is the jaw-dropping scale of life in Antarctica. Powell makes sparing use of time-lapse to show the encroachment or retreat of the ice sheet; the arrival, unloading, loading and departure of a supply ship (which constructs its own wharf); and the weather patterns that sweep across and dwarf the human presence. There is ethereally beautiful footage of the aurora australis - great curtains of green in the dark sky.
To say it's the next best thing to going there sells it short. For all its of unassuming ambition, this is an extraordinary achievement that reinvigorates our sense of wonder about the natural world. Make a point of seeing it.
Stars: 5/5
Director: Anthony Powell
Running time: 91 mins
Rating: Exempt
Verdict: A (for Antarctica and awesome).
Director: Anthony Powell, a satellite telecommunications engineer who came late to filmmaking, emulates his novelist namesake in creating a dance to the music of time in this impressive and unforgettable film.
The time scale he's working on is identified in the title (the last four words are every bit as important as the first one) but the movie, which Powell made with his wife Christine, is the culmination of 10 years' work on the great southern continent.
Words are entirely inadequate to convey the experience of watching this film but a couple of points must be made. First, it does not trudge the same trails as thoseFrozen Planet documentaries on the telly (to which Powell has contributed). The wildlife is principally human and it's a specific subset of humanity at that - people who choose, sometimes repeatedly, to spend the sunless winter at McMurdo and Scott Bases, confined to cramped living quarters.
They're the first to admit the experience has a weirdly disorientating effect on them: a telling sequence examines the complicated and ambivalent reaction they have to the new arrivals in the spring.
Few people get to Antarctica and fewer by far get to winter over, so this film provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of a very isolated tribe.
Second (while we are on the subject of the telly), this is definitely not a film you should wait to see when it turns up on the box. The big Civic screen was a fitting place for its world premiere at the film festival; watching it projected on anything smaller than a cinema screen would be an insult.
For what it conveys more than anything else is the jaw-dropping scale of life in Antarctica. Powell makes sparing use of time-lapse to show the encroachment or retreat of the ice sheet; the arrival, unloading, loading and departure of a supply ship (which constructs its own wharf); and the weather patterns that sweep across and dwarf the human presence. There is ethereally beautiful footage of the aurora australis - great curtains of green in the dark sky.
To say it's the next best thing to going there sells it short. For all its of unassuming ambition, this is an extraordinary achievement that reinvigorates our sense of wonder about the natural world. Make a point of seeing it.
Stars: 5/5
Director: Anthony Powell
Running time: 91 mins
Rating: Exempt
Verdict: A (for Antarctica and awesome).
FRIDAY 23rd MAY FIRST FILM NIGHT OF THE SEASON
THIS FILM NIGHT is FREE ADMISSION to all who want to come and find out what The Settlers Film Club is all about, come and get a programme, watch an award winning film and some trailers of some of the films that will be coming in 2014.
Have a coffee or a tea and meet up with friends and film fans.
“Living on the Edge’ 30 mins (UK) Winner of Grand Jury Prize at the Celtic Film & Television Festival in Ireland.
A group of New Age travellers make home on the rugged Atlantic coast in a disused quarry, but local councillors and people are not keen to welcome these newcomers who want to live life on the Atlantic cliffs. The film raises issues of prejudice and pre-conceived ideas about how ‘we’ should live our lives. Filmed throughout a whole year, the travellers share their hopes and dreams balanced against some of the realities of living on the edge.
ALSO SCREENING Trailers for ‘ The Gilded Cage’ / ‘White Lies’ /’The Weight of Elephants / ‘Maiden Trip’ / ‘Chasing Ice’ and more.
THIS FILM NIGHT is FREE ADMISSION to all who want to come and find out what The Settlers Film Club is all about, come and get a programme, watch an award winning film and some trailers of some of the films that will be coming in 2014.
Have a coffee or a tea and meet up with friends and film fans.
“Living on the Edge’ 30 mins (UK) Winner of Grand Jury Prize at the Celtic Film & Television Festival in Ireland.
A group of New Age travellers make home on the rugged Atlantic coast in a disused quarry, but local councillors and people are not keen to welcome these newcomers who want to live life on the Atlantic cliffs. The film raises issues of prejudice and pre-conceived ideas about how ‘we’ should live our lives. Filmed throughout a whole year, the travellers share their hopes and dreams balanced against some of the realities of living on the edge.
ALSO SCREENING Trailers for ‘ The Gilded Cage’ / ‘White Lies’ /’The Weight of Elephants / ‘Maiden Trip’ / ‘Chasing Ice’ and more.
THE GILDED CAGE Portugal/France (Comedy) (M)
Friday 6th June 8pm (Doors open 7-15 pm)
2013 Director: Ruben Alves With: Rita Blanco, Joaquim de 8.9/10
Almeida, Roland Giraud, Chantal Lauby, Barbara Cabrita, Lannick Gautry, Maria Vieira, Jacqueline Corado, Jean-Pierre Martins In French, English and Portuguese, with English subtitles 91 minutes
This generous, upstairs-downstairs comedy from French-Portuguese director/cowriter Ruben Alves comes richly informed by his own upbringing as the son of Portuguese immigrants in Paris since leaving Portugal 30 years ago, Maria and José have been living in their modest ground floor lodgings in a smart Parisian apartment building. Maria is the building’s concierge, always available – even on her day off – delivering mail, polishing banisters, pruning the courtyard roses, and generally maintaining the chic standards the inhabitants depend on. José, a building site foreman, takes equal pride in his work and is equally as indispensable to his boss, Francis. José’s ability to manage a team and see projects through gives Francis time to pursue the leisurely lifestyle to which he’s accustomed. This ‘natural order’ of things comes asunder when José learns he has inherited a contested family property and the couple’s dream of returning to Portugal is now possible. But, how will their employers cope? And what about their teenage son and adult daughter, whose roots have been firmly planted in Parisian soil? And do they in fact even want to leave behind this ‘gilded cage’ they have made for themselves? Soon family, neighbours, friends and employers are outdoing each other to find ways to prevent Maria and José from leaving. Dealing wittily with cultural and social differences, the film is a smart, well-crafted comedy, sporting a terrific Portuguese and French ensemble cast, spot-on comic timing and a thoroughly appealing central couple, whose dilemmas are portrayed with great affection.
(Madman Films 2014)
Friday 6th June 8pm (Doors open 7-15 pm)
2013 Director: Ruben Alves With: Rita Blanco, Joaquim de 8.9/10
Almeida, Roland Giraud, Chantal Lauby, Barbara Cabrita, Lannick Gautry, Maria Vieira, Jacqueline Corado, Jean-Pierre Martins In French, English and Portuguese, with English subtitles 91 minutes
This generous, upstairs-downstairs comedy from French-Portuguese director/cowriter Ruben Alves comes richly informed by his own upbringing as the son of Portuguese immigrants in Paris since leaving Portugal 30 years ago, Maria and José have been living in their modest ground floor lodgings in a smart Parisian apartment building. Maria is the building’s concierge, always available – even on her day off – delivering mail, polishing banisters, pruning the courtyard roses, and generally maintaining the chic standards the inhabitants depend on. José, a building site foreman, takes equal pride in his work and is equally as indispensable to his boss, Francis. José’s ability to manage a team and see projects through gives Francis time to pursue the leisurely lifestyle to which he’s accustomed. This ‘natural order’ of things comes asunder when José learns he has inherited a contested family property and the couple’s dream of returning to Portugal is now possible. But, how will their employers cope? And what about their teenage son and adult daughter, whose roots have been firmly planted in Parisian soil? And do they in fact even want to leave behind this ‘gilded cage’ they have made for themselves? Soon family, neighbours, friends and employers are outdoing each other to find ways to prevent Maria and José from leaving. Dealing wittily with cultural and social differences, the film is a smart, well-crafted comedy, sporting a terrific Portuguese and French ensemble cast, spot-on comic timing and a thoroughly appealing central couple, whose dilemmas are portrayed with great affection.
(Madman Films 2014)
CHASING ICE * (Blu-Ray only) (PG13) 74 mins USA (Documentary) plus short film
Friday 20th June 8pm (Doors open 7-15 pm)
96% Rating on Rotten Tomatoes !!!
Acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. In Chasing Ice, Balog deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Traveling with a team of young adventurers across the brutal Arctic, Balog risks his career and his well-being in pursuit of the biggest story facing humanity. As the debate polarizes America, and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Chasing Ice depicts a heroic photojournalist on a mission to deliver fragile hope to our carbon-powered planet.
(Madman Films 2012)
WHITE LIES * (DVD) (M) 95 mins FRIDAY 4th July at 8pm (Doors open7-15pm) NZ
Redemption comes at a price.
New Zealand period drama based on the novella Medicine Woman by Witi Ihimaera, author of The Whale Rider. Stars Whirimako Black, Rachel House and Antonia Prebble.
Paraiti (Black) is the healer and midwife of her rural, tribal people. But new laws are in force prohibiting unlicensed healers. On a rare trip to the city, she is approached by Maraea (House), the servant of a wealthy woman, Rebecca (Prebble), who seeks her knowledge and assistance in order to hide a secret which will destroy Rebecca’s position in European settler society. If the secret is uncovered a life may be lost, but hiding it may also have fatal consequences, forcing a clash of beliefs, deception and ultimate salvationStarring: Whirimako Black, Antonia Prebble, Rachel House, Nancy Brunning,Elizabeth Hawthorne
Directed by Dana Rotberg ('Otilia Rauda', 'Ángel de fuego')
Written by Dana Rotberg (based on the novella 'Medicine Woman' by Witi Ihimaera)
Drama, Historical | 1hr 35mins | M | Violence and nudity | Country of Origin: New Zealand
Redemption comes at a price.
New Zealand period drama based on the novella Medicine Woman by Witi Ihimaera, author of The Whale Rider. Stars Whirimako Black, Rachel House and Antonia Prebble.
Paraiti (Black) is the healer and midwife of her rural, tribal people. But new laws are in force prohibiting unlicensed healers. On a rare trip to the city, she is approached by Maraea (House), the servant of a wealthy woman, Rebecca (Prebble), who seeks her knowledge and assistance in order to hide a secret which will destroy Rebecca’s position in European settler society. If the secret is uncovered a life may be lost, but hiding it may also have fatal consequences, forcing a clash of beliefs, deception and ultimate salvationStarring: Whirimako Black, Antonia Prebble, Rachel House, Nancy Brunning,Elizabeth Hawthorne
Directed by Dana Rotberg ('Otilia Rauda', 'Ángel de fuego')
Written by Dana Rotberg (based on the novella 'Medicine Woman' by Witi Ihimaera)
Drama, Historical | 1hr 35mins | M | Violence and nudity | Country of Origin: New Zealand
'WILL IT FLY?' * DVD (M) Friday 1st August at 8 pm (doors open 7-15 pm)
Filmed literally in our own back yard....a record of history in the making, presented by the film-maker Wayne Johnson
Tickets on Sale...from Jason's Coffee Stall outside the Settlers Hall, Monday-Friday 6-30 am to 11 am or at the door on the night of the film.
"YOU CAN'T BEAT A MAN WHO WON'T QUIT"
Two men both with sheer guts and determination to build an airplane that will fly, now separated by a century of time are testament to this.
In the early 1900s in a remote rural settlement in New Zealand’s South Island, Richard William Pearse was a reluctant farmer who was determined that he was going to build an aircraft in his farm shed that would fly. The locals, in the surrounding area all thought that Pearse had lost his mind and was totally mad for even thinking he could fly like the birds, and his time better spent just being a good farmer.
But Pearse would not be deterred and set about building his aircraft. His dream was to fly in a heavier than air powered aircraft built with his own hands and powered by his own designed engine and airframe.
On March 31st 1903 at Wiatohi in South Canterbury, many witnesses say they saw that first flight by Pearse, but to this day no physical proof exists that he flew or even got his aircraft off the ground. Speculation is that the Pearse story is complete fiction and now the product of modern day urban myth and that Pearse never ever actually became airborne.
It’s now one man's dream after eight years of solid research and intensive and unstoppable labour to silence the critics, with his attempt to build and fly a Pearse reproduction aircraft. Ivan Mudrovcich, is a seventy-three year old retired automotive engineer, and has an attitude to his work that is very simple,
"If you are going to build it, at least make it look like some bastard has had a good go at it!" Ivan has built a lot of things in his life-time, a house, a boat, race cars, vintage motor cycles, mobility scooters, and worked on New Zealand’s first two challengers for yachting’s ultimate prize The America's Cup.
But to build a hundred year old airplane is without a doubt the ultimate challenge in Ivan’s life. Ivan has become a forensic engineer to discover the brilliance of Pearse which has helped reproduce the 1903 Pearse aircraft from some rusty old engine remains and a written description.
The West Auckland tradesman refuses to stop work in his retirement and has dedicated the last seven years of his life to painstakingly reproduce what Pearse himself might have built. With Kiwi grit and determination we follow Ivan's journey over time to see... We are very privileged to have Wayne Johnson come to this event who will introduce the film and take a Q & A session afterwards.
WE ADVISE booking for this event. E-mail [email protected] or Tel: 818 2489
M rating for mature audiences 16 and over contains some bad language.
Filmed literally in our own back yard....a record of history in the making, presented by the film-maker Wayne Johnson
Tickets on Sale...from Jason's Coffee Stall outside the Settlers Hall, Monday-Friday 6-30 am to 11 am or at the door on the night of the film.
"YOU CAN'T BEAT A MAN WHO WON'T QUIT"
Two men both with sheer guts and determination to build an airplane that will fly, now separated by a century of time are testament to this.
In the early 1900s in a remote rural settlement in New Zealand’s South Island, Richard William Pearse was a reluctant farmer who was determined that he was going to build an aircraft in his farm shed that would fly. The locals, in the surrounding area all thought that Pearse had lost his mind and was totally mad for even thinking he could fly like the birds, and his time better spent just being a good farmer.
But Pearse would not be deterred and set about building his aircraft. His dream was to fly in a heavier than air powered aircraft built with his own hands and powered by his own designed engine and airframe.
On March 31st 1903 at Wiatohi in South Canterbury, many witnesses say they saw that first flight by Pearse, but to this day no physical proof exists that he flew or even got his aircraft off the ground. Speculation is that the Pearse story is complete fiction and now the product of modern day urban myth and that Pearse never ever actually became airborne.
It’s now one man's dream after eight years of solid research and intensive and unstoppable labour to silence the critics, with his attempt to build and fly a Pearse reproduction aircraft. Ivan Mudrovcich, is a seventy-three year old retired automotive engineer, and has an attitude to his work that is very simple,
"If you are going to build it, at least make it look like some bastard has had a good go at it!" Ivan has built a lot of things in his life-time, a house, a boat, race cars, vintage motor cycles, mobility scooters, and worked on New Zealand’s first two challengers for yachting’s ultimate prize The America's Cup.
But to build a hundred year old airplane is without a doubt the ultimate challenge in Ivan’s life. Ivan has become a forensic engineer to discover the brilliance of Pearse which has helped reproduce the 1903 Pearse aircraft from some rusty old engine remains and a written description.
The West Auckland tradesman refuses to stop work in his retirement and has dedicated the last seven years of his life to painstakingly reproduce what Pearse himself might have built. With Kiwi grit and determination we follow Ivan's journey over time to see... We are very privileged to have Wayne Johnson come to this event who will introduce the film and take a Q & A session afterwards.
WE ADVISE booking for this event. E-mail [email protected] or Tel: 818 2489
M rating for mature audiences 16 and over contains some bad language.
MORE THAN HONEY * (DVD) Friday 15th August at 8pm 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes !!
Einstein once said: “If bees ever die out, mankind will have only four years left to live”. In the past five years, billions of honeybees simply vanished for reasons still obscure. If the bees keep dying, it will have drastic effects for humans as well: more than one third of our food production depends on pollination by honeybees and their life and death are linked to ours.
Life without the bee is unthinkable. But, between pesticides, antibiotics and monoculture, the queens and their workers are losing their power.
MORE THAN HONEY, a new documentary by the Swiss filmmaker Marcus Imhoof, is looking into the fascinating world of bees, showing small family beekeepers (including the beekeeper of ERSTE Foundation beehive, Heidrun Singer) and industrialized honey farms. MORE THAN HONEY is a film on the relationship between mankind and honeybees, about nature and about our future. Honeybees show us that stability is just as unhealthy as unlimited growth, that crises and disasters are triggering evolution and that salvation sometimes comes from a completely unexpected direction.
"Superb photography, a strong story and a must see for all of those who love honey and who care about the human race." Screen Magazine 2012
Einstein once said: “If bees ever die out, mankind will have only four years left to live”. In the past five years, billions of honeybees simply vanished for reasons still obscure. If the bees keep dying, it will have drastic effects for humans as well: more than one third of our food production depends on pollination by honeybees and their life and death are linked to ours.
Life without the bee is unthinkable. But, between pesticides, antibiotics and monoculture, the queens and their workers are losing their power.
MORE THAN HONEY, a new documentary by the Swiss filmmaker Marcus Imhoof, is looking into the fascinating world of bees, showing small family beekeepers (including the beekeeper of ERSTE Foundation beehive, Heidrun Singer) and industrialized honey farms. MORE THAN HONEY is a film on the relationship between mankind and honeybees, about nature and about our future. Honeybees show us that stability is just as unhealthy as unlimited growth, that crises and disasters are triggering evolution and that salvation sometimes comes from a completely unexpected direction.
"Superb photography, a strong story and a must see for all of those who love honey and who care about the human race." Screen Magazine 2012
EVERY PICTURE TELLS A STORY 90 mins (APPROX)
FRIDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Presented by film-maker Robin Kewell, With some of the stories from behind the lens.
As the Film Club's bank account had plunged a little into the RED I decided that I would put on an evening of films that I have shot, as a cameraman and editor for 30 years I have quite an archive to dip into. the evening will comprise of a selection of clips from films where the story from behind the lens will be told. How shots were obtained in those days when a camera weighed up to 25 kilos and were the size of a small fridge, when you loaded negative film and waited for it to be processed before you could see the results...Ahh..you youngsters don't know how easy it is nowadays with your little HD GO PRO cameras weighing a few grams. My work took me to some of the most remote places on earth, so this will be an evening of tales from behind the camera. A cabaret atmosphere, candle lit tables (battery operated ones as we are in a wooden building) wine and cheese. spiced punch, teas and coffees. As the films all belong to me then I will not have to pay 40% of the ticket price to the Distributor...all the funds will go into the Film Club account.
This will also be a chance for me to view footage that has been sitting on the shelf for many years. As well as the clips I thought I would select one film to end the evening, that is a favourite of mine. In my years in the film business I have been involved in the making of over 400 films....so a bit tricky to select just one...but the one I would like to share is about an 85 year old female stand-up comedienne, 'Mrs Rosewarne' (Lilla Miller) spent her life entertaining thousands of people on stage and raising thousands of pounds (UK) for local charities. The film was made for a series called Westcountry Profiles and ended up being a tribute to this wonderful woman, who sadly passed away a few months after completing the film. .'Mrs Rosewarne - Queen of Camborne' 25 mins (G) PLUS 'WIND' (10 mins) a short film that is without doubt the craziest film I have ever worked on.
FRIDAY 12th September at 8pm about a 90 minute show with Q & A
.
FRIDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Presented by film-maker Robin Kewell, With some of the stories from behind the lens.
As the Film Club's bank account had plunged a little into the RED I decided that I would put on an evening of films that I have shot, as a cameraman and editor for 30 years I have quite an archive to dip into. the evening will comprise of a selection of clips from films where the story from behind the lens will be told. How shots were obtained in those days when a camera weighed up to 25 kilos and were the size of a small fridge, when you loaded negative film and waited for it to be processed before you could see the results...Ahh..you youngsters don't know how easy it is nowadays with your little HD GO PRO cameras weighing a few grams. My work took me to some of the most remote places on earth, so this will be an evening of tales from behind the camera. A cabaret atmosphere, candle lit tables (battery operated ones as we are in a wooden building) wine and cheese. spiced punch, teas and coffees. As the films all belong to me then I will not have to pay 40% of the ticket price to the Distributor...all the funds will go into the Film Club account.
This will also be a chance for me to view footage that has been sitting on the shelf for many years. As well as the clips I thought I would select one film to end the evening, that is a favourite of mine. In my years in the film business I have been involved in the making of over 400 films....so a bit tricky to select just one...but the one I would like to share is about an 85 year old female stand-up comedienne, 'Mrs Rosewarne' (Lilla Miller) spent her life entertaining thousands of people on stage and raising thousands of pounds (UK) for local charities. The film was made for a series called Westcountry Profiles and ended up being a tribute to this wonderful woman, who sadly passed away a few months after completing the film. .'Mrs Rosewarne - Queen of Camborne' 25 mins (G) PLUS 'WIND' (10 mins) a short film that is without doubt the craziest film I have ever worked on.
FRIDAY 12th September at 8pm about a 90 minute show with Q & A
.
The AMBASSADOR * (BLU-RAY NTSC) 93 mins Denmark 2011
Director:Mads Brugger FRIDAY 26th September at 8 pm
Writers: Mads Brugger (original idea), Mads Brugger,
Starring: (yes you guessed it !!) Mads Brugger.
At what point did I realize "The Ambassador" was an actual documentary, and not a fraud? Perhaps when I realized that everyone in the film was just as dishonest, venal and corrupt as they seemed — including the director. The Danish filmmaker Mads Brugger stars as Mads Cortzen, a man who does not exist — but who is no more fabricated than every other character in this incredible stunt.
Let's just call him Mads, since both Brugger and "Cortzen" are running the same real risks. Mads informs us at the outset that one way to get rich is to use a genuine diplomatic passport to travel to a nation like the Central African Republic and carry out a briefcase full of diamonds. Your immunity will get you straight through customs, and you're home free. The way to accomplish this is to use "envelopes of happiness" as bribes, since everyone he meets is happily, even openly, bribable.
He begins in Europe, using two brokers (who are apparently quite real) to line up phony diplomatic credentials from Liberia. He arrives in the Central African Republic, explaining that if the Congo was the "heart of darkness" in Joseph Conrad's words, the CAR is the spleen. There he and his secretary (Eva Jakobsen) obtain a translator and introductions to the minister of state security, relatives of the president and a diamond mine owner named Dalkia Gilbert. Again, all of these people are real.
Mads films them with hidden video mini-cams, which are concealed in walls, furniture, briefcases, clothing — who knows? Sailing through the first part of the film, I assumed it was a mockumentary, and the "hidden cam" footage was a special effect. No. I realized with a chilling certainty that the fearless Mads had actually introduced himself into this situation for the purpose of making this film. It is clear he could easily get himself killed, and the danger he faces is as riveting as the corruption he witnesses. Mads has whatever they call cojones in Denmark.
To cut to the chase: Everyone he meets is on the take, some from each other. Nobody's word can be trusted. He actually visits the diamond mine that he and Gilbert will exploit — to see if it even exists. Amazingly, it does. In South Africa, I visited an actual diamond mine owned by De Beers, a high-tech operation deep in the earth. In the CAR, young men and boys stand knee-deep in muddy water and shovel soil into a sieve to extract the diamonds. It's an open secret that diamonds would not be rare if their global supply were not ruthlessly curtailed by an international cartel. Diamonds from unsettled or war-torn nations move under the radar, and are known as blood diamonds.
As Mads negotiates through this labyrinth of corruption, handing over thousands in bribes, he grows uneasy that he still has no Liberian credentials. When he calls his European broker, this man seems to be constantly in a room where he "can't talk right now." Mads suspects even his translator is double-crossing him. He has gone through the motions of starting a match factory as a cover, and Gilbert connects him with a pygmy tribe that he can train as match-makers. He is given two "personal pygmies," Albert and Bernard, as companions, and by the end of the film, they are the only two men in the CAR that he can trust. Ironically, since there will never be a match factory, Albert and Bernard cannot trust him.
You can imagine how this could have become a 1950s British comedy. It is all real. Mads plays "himself" as a shaved-headed, poker-faced, imperturbable wheeler-dealer wearing mirrored sunglasses and safari boots, and smoking in almost every scene. He begins with little cigars. Then larger cigars. Then cigarettes. Then cigarettes in an ivory holder. Then he switches to a Meerschaum pipe. I told myself, if he starts using snuff, he knows he's going to die.
An unmissable film that is sheer brilliance, 9/10
The SNAPPER SANDWICH (PG) NEW ZEALAND/AUSTRALIA 75min. 2013
Director Tony Burt. FRIDAY OCTOBER 17th 8pm $12 and $10
Also performing at Lopdell House Theatre Saturday 18th at 8pm ($15) & Waiheke Cinema Sunday 19th at 5pm ($15)
A UNIQUE LIVE EVENT....a First for the film club....the film will be accompanied by Tony Burt, live on guitar.
The Snapper Sandwich is the story of a filmmaker and musician, the power of combining music and film, a heartwarming journey of discovery, stories that make a difference and where finding your place to stand is not always where you expect.
Tony Burt from Maungaraki has been making films for years and is also a multi instrumentalist and songwriter. He has blended his skills and talents together into an innovative documentary with live narrations and music performance. Featuring original compositions that take the audience through his autobiographical story, director/ performer Burt weaves that together with four stories, seemingly different with a common thread.
The concept came about when Burt was developing a live music performance with background images to add interest.
"The eureka moment happened when I threaded the stories together. So why not combine it as a live musical/documentary performance and take the audience to somewhere they maybe never expected to go."
Tickets on Sale from Jason's Coffee Cart outside the Settlers Hall, Oratia Weekdays from 6 am to 11 am
or call 818 2489 to book.
Director Tony Burt. FRIDAY OCTOBER 17th 8pm $12 and $10
Also performing at Lopdell House Theatre Saturday 18th at 8pm ($15) & Waiheke Cinema Sunday 19th at 5pm ($15)
A UNIQUE LIVE EVENT....a First for the film club....the film will be accompanied by Tony Burt, live on guitar.
The Snapper Sandwich is the story of a filmmaker and musician, the power of combining music and film, a heartwarming journey of discovery, stories that make a difference and where finding your place to stand is not always where you expect.
Tony Burt from Maungaraki has been making films for years and is also a multi instrumentalist and songwriter. He has blended his skills and talents together into an innovative documentary with live narrations and music performance. Featuring original compositions that take the audience through his autobiographical story, director/ performer Burt weaves that together with four stories, seemingly different with a common thread.
The concept came about when Burt was developing a live music performance with background images to add interest.
"The eureka moment happened when I threaded the stories together. So why not combine it as a live musical/documentary performance and take the audience to somewhere they maybe never expected to go."
Tickets on Sale from Jason's Coffee Cart outside the Settlers Hall, Oratia Weekdays from 6 am to 11 am
or call 818 2489 to book.
FRIDAY 7th November at 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
THE LUNCHBOX
Gets 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes Film Review
The film, set in Mumbai, revolves around a mistaken delivery by the Dabbawalas (lunchbox service) of Mumbai, which leads to a relationship between Saajan, a lonely widower close to retirement, and Ila, an unhappy housewife, as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox.
Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day's lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities. (C) Sony Classics
Rating:PG (for thematic material and smoking)Genre:Drama , Romance Directed By:Ritesh Batra Written By:Ritesh BatraIn 1 hr. 44 min.
THE LUNCHBOX
Gets 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes Film Review
The film, set in Mumbai, revolves around a mistaken delivery by the Dabbawalas (lunchbox service) of Mumbai, which leads to a relationship between Saajan, a lonely widower close to retirement, and Ila, an unhappy housewife, as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox.
Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day's lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities. (C) Sony Classics
Rating:PG (for thematic material and smoking)Genre:Drama , Romance Directed By:Ritesh Batra Written By:Ritesh BatraIn 1 hr. 44 min.
'HIP-HOPERATION' (NZ) 93 mins PG (Some Offensive Language) Documentary/Comedy
Settlers Hall 569, West Coast Road. Oratia
FRIDAY 21st November at 8pm (doors open 7-15pm) *(also showing at Karekare Fire Station on Thursday 20th @ 8pm)
A feel-good documentary following the journey of elderly Kiwis training to compete in the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas. The film explores the lives and motivations of the ambitious Waiheke Island senior citizens within the dance group.
About the film.
Coming out of nowhere is this New Zealand Film Commission-funded documentary about a Waiheke community of elderly Kiwis that forms a hip-hop dance crew, an activity that troupe manager Billy Jordan initiates to get the pensioners “out of their comfort zone.” Ironically, this film never leaves the familiar zone of ‘feel-good doco 101’, but hits raw magic when exploring separate stories from the past of its senior cast. Whether it’s a tale of a past lover from WWII or an experience smoking weed in 1960s America, the film shows how these folk have lived sensationally adventurous lives. Starting an elderly hip-hop dance crew is just another page in the books of their beautiful being.
Their adventurous spirit earns the admiration of the young Māori and Polynesian hip-hop dance community and it’s impossible not to get the warm fuzzies seeing these two distant generations lovingly connect through the performance art. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t show us how the elderly’s understanding of hip-hop dancing has progressed and evolved since they started the modern exercise.
Additionally, the finale doesn’t invite us to experience the group’s dance routine in its full glory, constantly interrupted by crowd shots, a music-eclipsing voiceover, and scrappy character conclusions. It’s a shame, given how hard they worked to make their on-stage demonstration a reality, but you could also argue that the value is in the journey and not in the end result. In that regard, Hip Hop-eration will stamp a smile on audiences of any age.
Directed by Bryn Evans ('From Street to Sky')
PLUS SHORT FILM (4 mins) 'Kauri Comeback' The first public screening of a film made by some year 6 pupils from Oratia School as their entry to the 'Outlook For Someday Film Contest', where it was short listed for a prize out of 130 entries.
Settlers Hall 569, West Coast Road. Oratia
FRIDAY 21st November at 8pm (doors open 7-15pm) *(also showing at Karekare Fire Station on Thursday 20th @ 8pm)
A feel-good documentary following the journey of elderly Kiwis training to compete in the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas. The film explores the lives and motivations of the ambitious Waiheke Island senior citizens within the dance group.
About the film.
Coming out of nowhere is this New Zealand Film Commission-funded documentary about a Waiheke community of elderly Kiwis that forms a hip-hop dance crew, an activity that troupe manager Billy Jordan initiates to get the pensioners “out of their comfort zone.” Ironically, this film never leaves the familiar zone of ‘feel-good doco 101’, but hits raw magic when exploring separate stories from the past of its senior cast. Whether it’s a tale of a past lover from WWII or an experience smoking weed in 1960s America, the film shows how these folk have lived sensationally adventurous lives. Starting an elderly hip-hop dance crew is just another page in the books of their beautiful being.
Their adventurous spirit earns the admiration of the young Māori and Polynesian hip-hop dance community and it’s impossible not to get the warm fuzzies seeing these two distant generations lovingly connect through the performance art. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t show us how the elderly’s understanding of hip-hop dancing has progressed and evolved since they started the modern exercise.
Additionally, the finale doesn’t invite us to experience the group’s dance routine in its full glory, constantly interrupted by crowd shots, a music-eclipsing voiceover, and scrappy character conclusions. It’s a shame, given how hard they worked to make their on-stage demonstration a reality, but you could also argue that the value is in the journey and not in the end result. In that regard, Hip Hop-eration will stamp a smile on audiences of any age.
Directed by Bryn Evans ('From Street to Sky')
PLUS SHORT FILM (4 mins) 'Kauri Comeback' The first public screening of a film made by some year 6 pupils from Oratia School as their entry to the 'Outlook For Someday Film Contest', where it was short listed for a prize out of 130 entries.
MULLED WINE - MINCE PIES & MOVIES CHRISTMAS GET-TOGETHER
Friday 12th December 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
Some films and some Christmas Cheer, the last film night of 2014 and a chance to catch up and talk about next year.
Mulled wine, Mince pies, and a Movie, 'Beastly Christmas' (30 mins) A Midsummer Night's Dream with a cast straight from the farm yard plus two professional ballet dancers who were in for a big surprise at Little Ash Eco Farm (Dartmoor UK) Mrs Kylie-Worthington and partner put on a show for their farming neighbours, stallions, Jack Russells, Cows, a Bull and several Llamas, all add up to 'A midwinter night's nightmare'.....
plus some short films from the lucky dip Christmas stocking, lucky ticket holders will draw out a DVD which will be screened and afterwards they get to keep it. Everyone welcome, regulars and newcomers,
plus a raffle where some of the best films of the past will be offered for prizes....
The Real Dirt on Farmer John (95 mins)
First Breath (30 mins)
Aotearoa-Land of Fire and Ice
Eden the Complete Inside Story ( 4 parts of 1 hour)
Will it Fly (118 mins)
The Boy Mir (80 mins)
plus special deal
Tickets $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student which includes Mince Pie/Mug of Spiced Wine/Tes/Coffee/Biscuits
Children under 14 yrs $5 which includes Mince Pie/AppleJuice/Tea/Biscuits
Friday 12th December 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
Some films and some Christmas Cheer, the last film night of 2014 and a chance to catch up and talk about next year.
Mulled wine, Mince pies, and a Movie, 'Beastly Christmas' (30 mins) A Midsummer Night's Dream with a cast straight from the farm yard plus two professional ballet dancers who were in for a big surprise at Little Ash Eco Farm (Dartmoor UK) Mrs Kylie-Worthington and partner put on a show for their farming neighbours, stallions, Jack Russells, Cows, a Bull and several Llamas, all add up to 'A midwinter night's nightmare'.....
plus some short films from the lucky dip Christmas stocking, lucky ticket holders will draw out a DVD which will be screened and afterwards they get to keep it. Everyone welcome, regulars and newcomers,
plus a raffle where some of the best films of the past will be offered for prizes....
The Real Dirt on Farmer John (95 mins)
First Breath (30 mins)
Aotearoa-Land of Fire and Ice
Eden the Complete Inside Story ( 4 parts of 1 hour)
Will it Fly (118 mins)
The Boy Mir (80 mins)
plus special deal
Tickets $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student which includes Mince Pie/Mug of Spiced Wine/Tes/Coffee/Biscuits
Children under 14 yrs $5 which includes Mince Pie/AppleJuice/Tea/Biscuits
'MR Turner'
FRIDAY 17th APRIL at 8pm
(doors open 7-15pm)
'Mr. Turner' (M) 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes*
This film explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty. *Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner is a superior Hollywood biopic. ALSO screening on Sunday 19th at the Barnett Hall, Piha.
Rating: M (for some sexual content) Genre: Drama Directed By:Mike Leigh Written By:Mike Leigh Runtime:2 hr. 29 min. Mr Turner Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yuanTQdAGc
Tickets on the door $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student. Not suitable for younger audience.
Book tickets by calling Robin on 818 2489 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
FRIDAY 17th APRIL at 8pm
(doors open 7-15pm)
'Mr. Turner' (M) 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes*
This film explores the last quarter century of the great if eccentric British painter J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851). Profoundly affected by the death of his father, loved by a housekeeper he takes for granted and occasionally exploits sexually, he forms a close relationship with a seaside landlady with whom he eventually lives incognito in Chelsea, where he dies. Throughout this, he travels, paints, stays with the country aristocracy, visits brothels, is a popular if anarchic member of the Royal Academy of Arts, has himself strapped to the mast of a ship so that he can paint a snowstorm, and is both celebrated and reviled by the public and by royalty. *Led by a masterful performance from Timothy Spall and brilliantly directed by Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner is a superior Hollywood biopic. ALSO screening on Sunday 19th at the Barnett Hall, Piha.
Rating: M (for some sexual content) Genre: Drama Directed By:Mike Leigh Written By:Mike Leigh Runtime:2 hr. 29 min. Mr Turner Trailer www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yuanTQdAGc
Tickets on the door $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student. Not suitable for younger audience.
Book tickets by calling Robin on 818 2489 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
'JIMMY'S HALL' (PG13) 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes website 15th MAY 8pm Settlers Hall Oratia
(Released in New Zealand last November) Period Drama Directed by Ken Loach. Written by Paul Laverty Duration: 1 hour 46 mins Also screening at Piha 17th May
In 1921 Jimmy Gralton's sin was to build a dance hall on a rural crossroads in Ireland where young people could come to learn, to argue, to dream... but above all to dance and have fun. Jimmy's Hall celebrates the spirit of these free thinkers. The film is set in 1932 and follows events when Jimmy returned from a decade in New York and re-opened the hall. The film is freely inspired by Jimmy's life and turbulent times. (Also showing at The Barnett Hall Piha on Sunday 17th May 7pm)
Rating:PG-13 (for drug use throughout, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and some violence) !!!
Amazing to think that when I was 13 years old a film with a swear word in it would warrant an Adult certificate !!! How times have changed or should I say standards have slipped? Jack Hawkins would turn in his grave ??(RK)
SPECIAL SCREENING BEYOND THE EDGE (G) Friday 19th June at 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
With the news of the second Earthquake to hit Nepal, I wondered what I could do to help (even in a small way) so contacted Rialto Films to see if I could put on a screening of the award winning film 'Beyond the Edge' with all ticket money going to the relief fund, they replied this morning saying YES..and they do not want a fee.!! so all money raised will go to the relief fund.
Tickets are $10 and $30 for a family ticket (2 Adults up to 3 Children) on sale weekday mornings from Chris's Coffee Cart at the Settlers Hall and on the door on the night, telephone or e-mail your booking 818 2489 / [email protected]
Settlers Hall, FRIDAY 29th at 8pm Doors open 7-15pm Tea/Coffee/Biscuits and the Hot Spiced Punch
Do come to see this excellent film and support the Nepalese Earthquake Relief Fund...bring a friend, neighbour, aunt, uncle, gran or grandpa.
BEYOND the EDGE (G) 95 mins Director Leanne Pooley (NZ)
Sir Edmund Hillary’s incredible achievement remains one of the greatest adventure stories of all time; the epic journey of a man from modest beginnings who overcame adversity to reach the highest point on Earth.
Both a classic triumph of the underdog story and a gripping, cinematic experience, Beyond The Edge is a tale of human endurance, tenacity and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.
For the first time ever, and with the support of the Hillary family, Sir Edmund’s story is brought to life on the big screen, using both original colour footage and photographs and dramatised recreations of the assault.
Beyond The Edge had its world premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.
The DARK HORSE (M)
FRIDAY 5th June at 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
Starring an extraordinary NZ cast; Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider and Boy), James Rolleston (Boy) and Kirk Torrance (Outrageous Fortune) The Dark Horse is an inspiring true story based on the life of a charismatic, brilliant but little-known New Zealand Hero and chess champion - Genesis Potini, aka Gen.
The Dark Horse is an emotionally-charged, provocative drama about a man who searches for the courage to lead, despite his own adversities - finding purpose and hope in passing on his gift to the children in his community.
More info on (Future Films page)
Tickets on the door $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student. Not suitable for younger audience.
Book tickets by calling Robin on 818 2489 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
Also showing at the Barnett Hall Piha at 7pm Sunday 7th June.
FRIDAY 5th June at 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
Starring an extraordinary NZ cast; Cliff Curtis (Whale Rider and Boy), James Rolleston (Boy) and Kirk Torrance (Outrageous Fortune) The Dark Horse is an inspiring true story based on the life of a charismatic, brilliant but little-known New Zealand Hero and chess champion - Genesis Potini, aka Gen.
The Dark Horse is an emotionally-charged, provocative drama about a man who searches for the courage to lead, despite his own adversities - finding purpose and hope in passing on his gift to the children in his community.
More info on (Future Films page)
Tickets on the door $12 Adult $10 Senior/Student. Not suitable for younger audience.
Book tickets by calling Robin on 818 2489 or send an e-mail to [email protected]
Also showing at the Barnett Hall Piha at 7pm Sunday 7th June.
FRIDAY 3rd July at 8pm (Doors Open 7-15pm) The Rocket (M)
The film opens on the birth of Ahlo (street kid Sitthiphon Disamoe), the only surviving member of a pair of twins. But twins, according to Laotian superstition, are thought to be highly problematic, one bringing good luck, the other bad. Ahlo’s mother (Alice Keohavong) has showered him with unconditional love from the outset, flatly rejecting her own mother’s urging that she kill him. Indeed, Ahlo’s grandmother (Bunsri Yindi), the only other person aware of the circumstances of his birth, remains his harshest critic. So when personal disaster strikes the family, she blames Ahlo and reveals his secret to his hitherto unaware father (Sumrit Warin), arousing conflicting emotions in the stalwart paterfamilias.
Ahlo’s pariah status increases when he befriends an impish 9-year-old beauty, Kia (Loungnam Kaosainam), and her disreputable “Uncle Purple” (vet Thai actor/comedian Thep Phongam), a shirtless, purple-suited James Brown aficionado who collaborated with Americans during the Vietnam War, and who proves endearing and wise as well as drunkenly irresponsible.
Meanwhile, Ahlo’s village is forced to abandon ancestral homes to make way for a dam. Their assigned new digs consist of cheap scraps of canvas and corrugated tin under a billboard promising “Paradise,” a town to be built at some unspecified future date; electricity is promised, but only to those in charge. When handy Ahlo provides his friends with a nearby electrical connection, the entire family is driven from its jerrybuilt home, hitching a ride on a cartful of the unexploded bombs that litter the countryside. A rocket-building contest en route provides Ahlo with a last chance to redeem himself in his family’s eyes.
Mordaunt previously directed a docu in Laos that featured kids who sold unexploded bombs for scrap metal, and that earlier experience invests this feature’s characters and milieu with an absolute integrity. No cheap exoticism or sentimental cuteness mars the authenticity of Ahlo’s everyday rhythms as he attempts to figure out the logic of his circumstances. Similarly, the helmer never resorts to any outside reading of the political forces at play; instead, the exploitation and flooding of entire villages to make way for a dam that serves no local interests are seen through the eyes of a child who must surmount his own image as the source of all malediction.
Poetically, at one point, when villagers are taken to another huge dam (to impress them with the project’s importance and inevitability), Ahlo plunges into the dammed-up lake, discovering an underwater treasure of exquisite statues belonging to a culture buried by “progress.”
The Rocket
Bang fai
(Australia-Laos-Thailand)
Rating:M :Drama Directed By:Kim Mordaunt Written By:Kim Mordaunt Runtime:1 hr. 36 min.
The film opens on the birth of Ahlo (street kid Sitthiphon Disamoe), the only surviving member of a pair of twins. But twins, according to Laotian superstition, are thought to be highly problematic, one bringing good luck, the other bad. Ahlo’s mother (Alice Keohavong) has showered him with unconditional love from the outset, flatly rejecting her own mother’s urging that she kill him. Indeed, Ahlo’s grandmother (Bunsri Yindi), the only other person aware of the circumstances of his birth, remains his harshest critic. So when personal disaster strikes the family, she blames Ahlo and reveals his secret to his hitherto unaware father (Sumrit Warin), arousing conflicting emotions in the stalwart paterfamilias.
Ahlo’s pariah status increases when he befriends an impish 9-year-old beauty, Kia (Loungnam Kaosainam), and her disreputable “Uncle Purple” (vet Thai actor/comedian Thep Phongam), a shirtless, purple-suited James Brown aficionado who collaborated with Americans during the Vietnam War, and who proves endearing and wise as well as drunkenly irresponsible.
Meanwhile, Ahlo’s village is forced to abandon ancestral homes to make way for a dam. Their assigned new digs consist of cheap scraps of canvas and corrugated tin under a billboard promising “Paradise,” a town to be built at some unspecified future date; electricity is promised, but only to those in charge. When handy Ahlo provides his friends with a nearby electrical connection, the entire family is driven from its jerrybuilt home, hitching a ride on a cartful of the unexploded bombs that litter the countryside. A rocket-building contest en route provides Ahlo with a last chance to redeem himself in his family’s eyes.
Mordaunt previously directed a docu in Laos that featured kids who sold unexploded bombs for scrap metal, and that earlier experience invests this feature’s characters and milieu with an absolute integrity. No cheap exoticism or sentimental cuteness mars the authenticity of Ahlo’s everyday rhythms as he attempts to figure out the logic of his circumstances. Similarly, the helmer never resorts to any outside reading of the political forces at play; instead, the exploitation and flooding of entire villages to make way for a dam that serves no local interests are seen through the eyes of a child who must surmount his own image as the source of all malediction.
Poetically, at one point, when villagers are taken to another huge dam (to impress them with the project’s importance and inevitability), Ahlo plunges into the dammed-up lake, discovering an underwater treasure of exquisite statues belonging to a culture buried by “progress.”
The Rocket
Bang fai
(Australia-Laos-Thailand)
Rating:M :Drama Directed By:Kim Mordaunt Written By:Kim Mordaunt Runtime:1 hr. 36 min.
FRIDAY 17th JULY 10-45am
'NOBLE' (M) Morning Movie LOPDELL HOUSE THEATRE 10-45 am (Doors open 10am)
UK/VIETNAM 2014
BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA /TRUE STORY
Vietnam. 1989. Fourteen years after the end of the war. When Irish woman Christina Noble flies into Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) she leaves behind an extraordinary life story. But the best is yet to come. Christina lands in a country "that she wouldn't be able to show you on a map". With a few dollars, a dream and her own hard-won courage, she is about to change everything. For hundreds of thousands of people. Forever. NOBLE is the inspirational true story of a woman who believes that it only takes one person to make a difference. And of how she is proved right.
Just released and showing in cinemas at the moment.
Admission: $12 and $10 Senior/Student. Door sales only, admission price includes Tea/Coffee and biscuits. Doors open 10am. Film starts at 10-45am Tel: 09 818 2489 for bookings
'NOBLE' (M) Morning Movie LOPDELL HOUSE THEATRE 10-45 am (Doors open 10am)
UK/VIETNAM 2014
BIOGRAPHY/DRAMA /TRUE STORY
Vietnam. 1989. Fourteen years after the end of the war. When Irish woman Christina Noble flies into Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) she leaves behind an extraordinary life story. But the best is yet to come. Christina lands in a country "that she wouldn't be able to show you on a map". With a few dollars, a dream and her own hard-won courage, she is about to change everything. For hundreds of thousands of people. Forever. NOBLE is the inspirational true story of a woman who believes that it only takes one person to make a difference. And of how she is proved right.
Just released and showing in cinemas at the moment.
Admission: $12 and $10 Senior/Student. Door sales only, admission price includes Tea/Coffee and biscuits. Doors open 10am. Film starts at 10-45am Tel: 09 818 2489 for bookings
FRIDAY 24th July 8pm Settlers Film Club Oratia (Doors open 7-15pm)
'X + Y- a beautiful mind' Drama/Comedy UK. (M)
In a world difficult to comprehend, Nathan struggles to connect with those around him - most of all his loving mother - but finds comfort in numbers. When Nathan is taken under the wing of unconventional and anarchic teacher, Mr. Humphreys, the pair forge an unusual friendship and Nathan's talents win him a place on the UK team at the International Mathematics Olympiad. From suburban England to bustling Taipei and back again, this original and heart-warming film tracks the funny and complex relationships that Nathan builds, as he is confronted by the irrational nature of love.
'X + Y- a beautiful mind' Drama/Comedy UK. (M)
In a world difficult to comprehend, Nathan struggles to connect with those around him - most of all his loving mother - but finds comfort in numbers. When Nathan is taken under the wing of unconventional and anarchic teacher, Mr. Humphreys, the pair forge an unusual friendship and Nathan's talents win him a place on the UK team at the International Mathematics Olympiad. From suburban England to bustling Taipei and back again, this original and heart-warming film tracks the funny and complex relationships that Nathan builds, as he is confronted by the irrational nature of love.
FRIDAY 7th August 8pm Settlers Film Club Oratia (Doors open 7-15pm) **
'The Theory of Everything' (M) Drama UK. Academy Award winner. Scores 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
In the 1960s, Cambridge University student and future physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with fellow collegian Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). At 21, Hawking learns that he has motor neuron disease. Despite this -- and with Jane at his side -- he begins an ambitious study of time, of which he has very little left, according to his doctor. He and Jane defy terrible odds and break new ground in the fields of medicine and science, achieving more than either could hope to imagine.
Has the real Stephen Hawking seen the movie?
Yes. Following the screening of The Theory of Everything at the Toronto Film Festival in early September 2014, director James Marsh and the cast answered questions during an audience Q&A. They explained that the real Stephen Hawking had already seen the movie, saying that a nurse wiped a tear from his cheek as the lights came up at his screening. Hawking subsequently gave the filmmakers license to use the audio produced by his trademark speech synthesizer. -Variety.com
"When he watched it, he offered his own voice and it really does give the movie a lift," says screenwriter/producer Anthony McCarten. "It feels like Stephen Hawking is performing in the movie. I could never have anticipated that but it was extremely generous on his part." -Deadline.com
Door sales only , telephone 09 818 2489 for bookings.
** Also showing at The Barnett Hall Piha Saturday 8th at 7pm and at Morning Movies Lopdell House Theatre 10-45 am 14th August. Tickets on sale from the UPSTAIRS GALLERY Lopdell House or on the door. Tel: 09 818 2489 for bookings
'The Theory of Everything' (M) Drama UK. Academy Award winner. Scores 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
In the 1960s, Cambridge University student and future physicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne) falls in love with fellow collegian Jane Wilde (Felicity Jones). At 21, Hawking learns that he has motor neuron disease. Despite this -- and with Jane at his side -- he begins an ambitious study of time, of which he has very little left, according to his doctor. He and Jane defy terrible odds and break new ground in the fields of medicine and science, achieving more than either could hope to imagine.
Has the real Stephen Hawking seen the movie?
Yes. Following the screening of The Theory of Everything at the Toronto Film Festival in early September 2014, director James Marsh and the cast answered questions during an audience Q&A. They explained that the real Stephen Hawking had already seen the movie, saying that a nurse wiped a tear from his cheek as the lights came up at his screening. Hawking subsequently gave the filmmakers license to use the audio produced by his trademark speech synthesizer. -Variety.com
"When he watched it, he offered his own voice and it really does give the movie a lift," says screenwriter/producer Anthony McCarten. "It feels like Stephen Hawking is performing in the movie. I could never have anticipated that but it was extremely generous on his part." -Deadline.com
Door sales only , telephone 09 818 2489 for bookings.
** Also showing at The Barnett Hall Piha Saturday 8th at 7pm and at Morning Movies Lopdell House Theatre 10-45 am 14th August. Tickets on sale from the UPSTAIRS GALLERY Lopdell House or on the door. Tel: 09 818 2489 for bookings
'BURT'S BUZZ' (USA) Thanks Burt..your film created a Buzz....
As of 9 pm on Thursday 3rd
Friday 4th September at 8pm (M) plus short film.
First public screening of this film which has not been released in New Zealand.
The film takes an intimate look at the world of Burt Shavitz, the face and co-founder of Burt's Bees, exploring his fascinating and unique life. Wise and wry, ornery and opinionated, the reclusive Shavitz is committed to living off the land and keeping true to his humble beginnings despite his celebrity status. The film chronicles Burt's life as a photographer, beekeeper, and brand spokesman, following his complicated relationship with the company, his fans, and the world around him. Exposing the collision between business and personal values, "Burt's Buzz" is a compelling and fascinating portrait of this highly idiosyncratic pioneer, and a revealing study of what it means to be a living icon.(Sadly Burt passed away on the 6th July 2015, so this film is a fitting tribute to him) Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfct3mM3I_g
Humourous, authentic and compelling, BURT’S BUZZ is a journey into the remarkable double life of Burt Shavitz— a reclusive beekeeper who reluctantly became one of the world’s most recognizable brand identities.
Filmmaker Jody Shapiro (How To Start Your Own Country) follows Burt from the pot-bellied stove of his rustic rural lifestyle to another world on the other side of the world, in Taiwan where the septuagenarian is greeted by hoards of his adoring fans.
Moving from his privileged childhood on Long Island to his early career as a photo-journalist in counter-culture Greenwich Village, Burt left his past behind to pursue an almost monastic existence as a beekeeper in upstate Maine. Between these extremes is the story of a man who chose his own path and accidentally spawned a billion dollar natural product line.
Guided by those who know -- or at least think they know -- Burt best, Burt's Buzz is a fascinating portrait of a singular personality who refused to conform.
As of 9 pm on Thursday 3rd
Friday 4th September at 8pm (M) plus short film.
First public screening of this film which has not been released in New Zealand.
The film takes an intimate look at the world of Burt Shavitz, the face and co-founder of Burt's Bees, exploring his fascinating and unique life. Wise and wry, ornery and opinionated, the reclusive Shavitz is committed to living off the land and keeping true to his humble beginnings despite his celebrity status. The film chronicles Burt's life as a photographer, beekeeper, and brand spokesman, following his complicated relationship with the company, his fans, and the world around him. Exposing the collision between business and personal values, "Burt's Buzz" is a compelling and fascinating portrait of this highly idiosyncratic pioneer, and a revealing study of what it means to be a living icon.(Sadly Burt passed away on the 6th July 2015, so this film is a fitting tribute to him) Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfct3mM3I_g
Humourous, authentic and compelling, BURT’S BUZZ is a journey into the remarkable double life of Burt Shavitz— a reclusive beekeeper who reluctantly became one of the world’s most recognizable brand identities.
Filmmaker Jody Shapiro (How To Start Your Own Country) follows Burt from the pot-bellied stove of his rustic rural lifestyle to another world on the other side of the world, in Taiwan where the septuagenarian is greeted by hoards of his adoring fans.
Moving from his privileged childhood on Long Island to his early career as a photo-journalist in counter-culture Greenwich Village, Burt left his past behind to pursue an almost monastic existence as a beekeeper in upstate Maine. Between these extremes is the story of a man who chose his own path and accidentally spawned a billion dollar natural product line.
Guided by those who know -- or at least think they know -- Burt best, Burt's Buzz is a fascinating portrait of a singular personality who refused to conform.
MAIDEN TRIP (PG) Friday October 16th 8pm
Laura Dekker (born 20 September 1995 in Whangerei during a seven year sea journey by her parents) In 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed. A Dutch court stepped in, due to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented Dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents. In July 2010, a Dutch family court ended this custody arrangement, and the record breaking attempt finally began on 21 August 2010. Dekker successfully completed the solo circumnavigation in an 11.5-metre (38 ft) two-masted ketch, arriving in Simpson Bay, Saint Maarten, on 21 January 2012.
MOVIE INFO
14-year-old Laura Dekker sets out-camera in hand-on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to be the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone. In the wake of a year-long battle with Dutch authorities that sparked a global storm of media scrutiny, Laura now finds herself far from land, family and unwanted attention, exploring the world in search of freedom, adventure, and distant dreams of her early youth at sea. Jillian Schlesinger's debut feature amplifies Laura's brave, defiant voice through a mix of Laura's own video and voice recordings at sea and intimate vérité footage from locations including the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia, Australia, and South Africa.
A remarkable story about a remarkable kid, and an incredibly optimistic look one young person making her dreams come true.
Laura Dekker (born 20 September 1995 in Whangerei during a seven year sea journey by her parents) In 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handed. A Dutch court stepped in, due to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented Dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents. In July 2010, a Dutch family court ended this custody arrangement, and the record breaking attempt finally began on 21 August 2010. Dekker successfully completed the solo circumnavigation in an 11.5-metre (38 ft) two-masted ketch, arriving in Simpson Bay, Saint Maarten, on 21 January 2012.
MOVIE INFO
14-year-old Laura Dekker sets out-camera in hand-on a two-year voyage in pursuit of her dream to be the youngest person ever to sail around the world alone. In the wake of a year-long battle with Dutch authorities that sparked a global storm of media scrutiny, Laura now finds herself far from land, family and unwanted attention, exploring the world in search of freedom, adventure, and distant dreams of her early youth at sea. Jillian Schlesinger's debut feature amplifies Laura's brave, defiant voice through a mix of Laura's own video and voice recordings at sea and intimate vérité footage from locations including the Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia, Australia, and South Africa.
A remarkable story about a remarkable kid, and an incredibly optimistic look one young person making her dreams come true.
Friday 20th November 7-30pm onwards
'WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY' film start at 8pm
LAST FILM of the SEASON (PG) 'WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY' plus short film made by Oratia School, based on Rudy Sunde's song 'Seasons of the Valley' Sadly Rudy passed away recently, he was a regular film club member with his wife Pat. This short film is a great reminder of what a kind, talented person Rudy was, the film features children from the GAT group years 5 and 6 and includes a lovely chat with Rudy at the end of the film.
A MOVIE - MULLED WINE - MINCE PIES - WINE & CHEESE AND more....
An occasion to meet up before the Christmas holidays and celebrate our 2015 season, see friends and neighbours, enjoy a drink and some food, PLUS a great film...Many people want the film to be a surprise...but some people want to know what we are putting on, so the clues are within this text. And the photos above. Brilliant script, great casting and wonderful acting- a feel-good movie that makes you laugh out loud.
ADULT Tickets are $15 which includes drink, food and film.....children with adult $5 includes drink and food
FILM ONLY TICKET $10
Booking essential if you want the FULL FILM DEAL $15 ticket Tel: 09 818 2489 or e-mail: [email protected]
'WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY' film start at 8pm
LAST FILM of the SEASON (PG) 'WHAT WE DID ON OUR HOLIDAY' plus short film made by Oratia School, based on Rudy Sunde's song 'Seasons of the Valley' Sadly Rudy passed away recently, he was a regular film club member with his wife Pat. This short film is a great reminder of what a kind, talented person Rudy was, the film features children from the GAT group years 5 and 6 and includes a lovely chat with Rudy at the end of the film.
A MOVIE - MULLED WINE - MINCE PIES - WINE & CHEESE AND more....
An occasion to meet up before the Christmas holidays and celebrate our 2015 season, see friends and neighbours, enjoy a drink and some food, PLUS a great film...Many people want the film to be a surprise...but some people want to know what we are putting on, so the clues are within this text. And the photos above. Brilliant script, great casting and wonderful acting- a feel-good movie that makes you laugh out loud.
ADULT Tickets are $15 which includes drink, food and film.....children with adult $5 includes drink and food
FILM ONLY TICKET $10
Booking essential if you want the FULL FILM DEAL $15 ticket Tel: 09 818 2489 or e-mail: [email protected]
2016 SEASON
FRIDAY 8th April at 8pm Doors open 7-15pm
'You've Been Trumped' PG 95 mins (Rialto)
In this David and Goliath story for the 21st century, a group of proud Scottish homeowners take on celebrity tycoon and possibly the next president of the USA !! Donald Trump, as he buys up one of Scotland's last wilderness areas to build a golf resort. The trouble is, the land he has purchased occupies one of Europe’s most environmentally sensitive stretches of coast. Funny, inspiring and heartbreaking in turns, You’ve Been Trumped is both an entertaining, can't-believe-it's-true tale and an environmental parable for our celebrity driven times. A moving score features music from jónsi, the internationally acclaimed musician and front-man of Sigur Ros. The film screened at the NZ International Film Festival in 2013 and perhaps should now be shown world-wide to make people aware of some of the tactics of Donald Trump who could be the next President of the U.S.A.
'You've Been Trumped' PG 95 mins (Rialto)
In this David and Goliath story for the 21st century, a group of proud Scottish homeowners take on celebrity tycoon and possibly the next president of the USA !! Donald Trump, as he buys up one of Scotland's last wilderness areas to build a golf resort. The trouble is, the land he has purchased occupies one of Europe’s most environmentally sensitive stretches of coast. Funny, inspiring and heartbreaking in turns, You’ve Been Trumped is both an entertaining, can't-believe-it's-true tale and an environmental parable for our celebrity driven times. A moving score features music from jónsi, the internationally acclaimed musician and front-man of Sigur Ros. The film screened at the NZ International Film Festival in 2013 and perhaps should now be shown world-wide to make people aware of some of the tactics of Donald Trump who could be the next President of the U.S.A.
'EVER THE LAND' PG Introduced by award winning producer Alex Behse*
Friday 6th May at 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Architect Ivan Mercep famously arrived to pitch for Te Wharehou o Tūhoe equipped with a blank sheet of paper, and was given the job. Perhaps the same tabula rasa principle applied when Tūhoe and Mercep granted relative outsiders, German-New Zealand residents producer Alexander Behse and director Sarah Grohnert, extensive access to hui, meetings and the building site over two years to make a documentary about the planning and construction of the building.
Bereft of talking heads, narration or identifying titles, this keenly observational sketch of New Zealand’s most fiercely independent tribe invites us into the gentle ebb and flow of Tūhoe life. The fruits are as quietly unassuming as they are serenely artful and incisive. Made under strict sustainability certification as part of the internationally recognised Living Building Challenge, Te Wharehou o Tūhoe is both a mammoth undertaking to watch unfold and a potent symbol of the Ngāi Tūhoe philosophy.
Framed against ongoing negotiations with the Government, which culminated in the Crown’s historic apology and settlement last year, Grohnert’s film extols the resolute spirit of a people wounded by shameful acts of injustice, but doggedly persistent in preserving the integrity of land, culture and community. With an astute, finely tuned sensibility for people and practices, Ever the Land offers intimate access to the build of this landmark project, whilst evoking the profound principles it represents with a supple grace. — JF
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student Under 14yrs FREE.
Admission includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Doors open 7-15pm Film starts at 8pm Tel: 818 2489 for bookings
*Sarah Grohnert was planning to be at the screening but she has gone to Argentina where the film has been selected to show at the Argentinian Film Festival.
Friday 6th May at 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Architect Ivan Mercep famously arrived to pitch for Te Wharehou o Tūhoe equipped with a blank sheet of paper, and was given the job. Perhaps the same tabula rasa principle applied when Tūhoe and Mercep granted relative outsiders, German-New Zealand residents producer Alexander Behse and director Sarah Grohnert, extensive access to hui, meetings and the building site over two years to make a documentary about the planning and construction of the building.
Bereft of talking heads, narration or identifying titles, this keenly observational sketch of New Zealand’s most fiercely independent tribe invites us into the gentle ebb and flow of Tūhoe life. The fruits are as quietly unassuming as they are serenely artful and incisive. Made under strict sustainability certification as part of the internationally recognised Living Building Challenge, Te Wharehou o Tūhoe is both a mammoth undertaking to watch unfold and a potent symbol of the Ngāi Tūhoe philosophy.
Framed against ongoing negotiations with the Government, which culminated in the Crown’s historic apology and settlement last year, Grohnert’s film extols the resolute spirit of a people wounded by shameful acts of injustice, but doggedly persistent in preserving the integrity of land, culture and community. With an astute, finely tuned sensibility for people and practices, Ever the Land offers intimate access to the build of this landmark project, whilst evoking the profound principles it represents with a supple grace. — JF
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student Under 14yrs FREE.
Admission includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Doors open 7-15pm Film starts at 8pm Tel: 818 2489 for bookings
*Sarah Grohnert was planning to be at the screening but she has gone to Argentina where the film has been selected to show at the Argentinian Film Festival.
FRIDAY 3rd JUNE 8pm
'The Lady in the Van' (M) offensive language 94 mins **
Alan Bennett's story is based on the true story of Miss Shepherd (played by a magnificent Maggie Smith), a woman of uncertain origins who "temporarily" parked her van in Bennett's London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years. What begins as a begrudged favour becomes a relationship that will change both their lives. Filmed on the street and in the house where Bennett and Miss Shepherd lived all those years, acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner reunites with iconic writer Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The History Boys) to bring this rare and touching portrait to the screen. A lot of people have already seen this film and have said they want to see it again, so it should be a good night.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner Written by Alan Bennett from his memoir.
Starring: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Frances de la Tour
**Plus Short film:
'The Lady in the Van' (M) offensive language 94 mins **
Alan Bennett's story is based on the true story of Miss Shepherd (played by a magnificent Maggie Smith), a woman of uncertain origins who "temporarily" parked her van in Bennett's London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years. What begins as a begrudged favour becomes a relationship that will change both their lives. Filmed on the street and in the house where Bennett and Miss Shepherd lived all those years, acclaimed director Nicholas Hytner reunites with iconic writer Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George, The History Boys) to bring this rare and touching portrait to the screen. A lot of people have already seen this film and have said they want to see it again, so it should be a good night.
Directed by Nicholas Hytner Written by Alan Bennett from his memoir.
Starring: Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Jim Broadbent, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Frances de la Tour
**Plus Short film:
FRIDAY 1st July 8pm
WHERE TO INVADE NEXT ? (JUST RELEASED IN NEW ZEALAND)
This is an expansive, rib-tickling, and subversive comedy in which Michael Moore, playing the role of "invader," visits a host of nations to learn how the U.S. could improve its own prospects. The creator of Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine is back with this hilarious and eye-opening call to arms. Bookings Tel: 818 2489
Don't forget that the film nights at the Settlers Hall are open to everybody, doors open at 7-15pm Ticket price includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. New comfy seats and warm hall. 158" screen (4 metres) and a top sound system deliver a cinema experience right on your doorstep. FREE PARKING. See you soon?
E-mail: [email protected]
(www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com) (flickscinema.weebly.com)
**Plus Short film:
TEL: 818 2489 for ticket reservations
$12 Adult $10 Senior/Student/ Under 14yrs old FREE Cash only sorry no EFTPOS
Ticket price includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits
WHERE TO INVADE NEXT ? (JUST RELEASED IN NEW ZEALAND)
This is an expansive, rib-tickling, and subversive comedy in which Michael Moore, playing the role of "invader," visits a host of nations to learn how the U.S. could improve its own prospects. The creator of Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine is back with this hilarious and eye-opening call to arms. Bookings Tel: 818 2489
Don't forget that the film nights at the Settlers Hall are open to everybody, doors open at 7-15pm Ticket price includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. New comfy seats and warm hall. 158" screen (4 metres) and a top sound system deliver a cinema experience right on your doorstep. FREE PARKING. See you soon?
E-mail: [email protected]
(www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com) (flickscinema.weebly.com)
**Plus Short film:
TEL: 818 2489 for ticket reservations
$12 Adult $10 Senior/Student/ Under 14yrs old FREE Cash only sorry no EFTPOS
Ticket price includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits
FRIDAY 29th JULY 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
Internationally acclaimed director Lee Tamahori’s first New Zealand film in 20 years,Mahana, it opened in cinemas in March of this year.
Mahana (previously The Patriarch) is an evocative family drama based on Whale Rider author Witi Ihimaera's novel, Bulibasha. Set in 1960’s rural New Zealand, two Māori sheep-shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, battle for supremacy in the shearing sheds and in their own hearts. The youngest Mahana, 14-year-old Simeon, is troubled by the rivalry and begins to unravel the truth behind the longstanding feud.
REVIEW
Movie review: Maori story with universal appeal By Peter Calder
Internationally acclaimed director Lee Tamahori’s first New Zealand film in 20 years,Mahana, it opened in cinemas in March of this year.
Mahana (previously The Patriarch) is an evocative family drama based on Whale Rider author Witi Ihimaera's novel, Bulibasha. Set in 1960’s rural New Zealand, two Māori sheep-shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, battle for supremacy in the shearing sheds and in their own hearts. The youngest Mahana, 14-year-old Simeon, is troubled by the rivalry and begins to unravel the truth behind the longstanding feud.
REVIEW
Movie review: Maori story with universal appeal By Peter Calder
FRIDAY August 2nd September 8pm Doors open 7-15pm
EDDIE the EAGLE (PG) Comedy/Drama/Biography UK/USA 106 mins
Inspired by true events, Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. From producers of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Eddie the Eagle stars Taron Egerton as Eddie, the loveable underdog with a never say die attitude.
"Eddie The Eagle turns a long-running joke of British sport into a crowd-pleasing story of inspiration. It’s a solid gold winner" 4.5 Stars (Variety)
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Cash sales only on door Phone a reservation 09 818 2489
EDDIE the EAGLE (PG) Comedy/Drama/Biography UK/USA 106 mins
Inspired by true events, Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story about Michael “Eddie” Edwards (Taron Egerton), an unlikely but courageous British ski-jumper who never stopped believing in himself – even as an entire nation was counting him out. With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie takes on the establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world by making an improbable and historic showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. From producers of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Eddie the Eagle stars Taron Egerton as Eddie, the loveable underdog with a never say die attitude.
"Eddie The Eagle turns a long-running joke of British sport into a crowd-pleasing story of inspiration. It’s a solid gold winner" 4.5 Stars (Variety)
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Cash sales only on door Phone a reservation 09 818 2489
PLEASE NOTE THIS FILM IS on instead of the previously advertised 'RAMS'
'TANNA'
FRIDAY 14th October 8pm
A wonderful Pacifica Romeo and Juliet story based on a recent true event.
The film was shot on Tanna, one of the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific off the coast of Qld. It is a contemporary story, not that it matters, little has changed in thousands of years for the traditional tribes living barely clad in the jungles. Dain, the Yakel chief's son, loves Wawa but she is promised to another by custom. The love marriage that the two want will surely lead to war between the tribes. What will the tribal chiefs do? Made by Australian film makers Martin Butler & Bentley Dean while living and working with the Yakel tribe, the result is a lushly beautiful, suspenseful and uniquely rewarding story. The island setting is cinematic with its active volcano, dense jungle, ash plains and sandy beaches. The untrained, brown-skinned actors bring both realism and natural charm to this mythic, Romeo & Juliet story imbued with traditional cultural elements. The medicine man plays the medicine man, Chief Charlie plays himself and Dain, the acknowledged most handsome was put forward to play the lead role .
"Stunning, atmospheric, beautiful and gripping this film is a MUST SEE" Variety 2016
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Cash sales only on door Phone a reservation 09 818 2489
'TANNA'
FRIDAY 14th October 8pm
A wonderful Pacifica Romeo and Juliet story based on a recent true event.
The film was shot on Tanna, one of the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific off the coast of Qld. It is a contemporary story, not that it matters, little has changed in thousands of years for the traditional tribes living barely clad in the jungles. Dain, the Yakel chief's son, loves Wawa but she is promised to another by custom. The love marriage that the two want will surely lead to war between the tribes. What will the tribal chiefs do? Made by Australian film makers Martin Butler & Bentley Dean while living and working with the Yakel tribe, the result is a lushly beautiful, suspenseful and uniquely rewarding story. The island setting is cinematic with its active volcano, dense jungle, ash plains and sandy beaches. The untrained, brown-skinned actors bring both realism and natural charm to this mythic, Romeo & Juliet story imbued with traditional cultural elements. The medicine man plays the medicine man, Chief Charlie plays himself and Dain, the acknowledged most handsome was put forward to play the lead role .
"Stunning, atmospheric, beautiful and gripping this film is a MUST SEE" Variety 2016
Tickets $12 and $10 Senior/Student includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits. Cash sales only on door Phone a reservation 09 818 2489
FRIDAY 16th June at the SETTLERS HALL Oratia Doors open 7-15pm Film starts at 8pm Admission: $12 and $10 for Seniors and students 14 yrs and under FREE
'The Snowman' (M) (Strong language) First public showing in New Zealand
In 1978 Jimmy Graham, a thirty four year old happily married the father of two, scored his dream job with Operation Deepfreeze – training American scientists in survival skills in Antarctica. He left in December of that year. Three months later he arrived back agitated and paranoid. He said that while out on the ice he had stumbled onto a secret American nuclear site and the CIA had given him a chemical lobotomy to keep him quiet. Jimmy rapidly descended into schizophrenia.
His behaviour became so frightening that his wife Frances fled to safety, taking their two children Sean and Juliet with her. For thirty years the family lived with this story, but no one ever dug deeper. The man they loved went away sane and came back permanently fractured – his mind was a blizzard. His wife fled with their two children. Now, thirty years later, his daughter Juliet will try to uncover the truth and reconnect with what's left of the man she called her father.
Credits
'The Snowman' (M) (Strong language) First public showing in New Zealand
In 1978 Jimmy Graham, a thirty four year old happily married the father of two, scored his dream job with Operation Deepfreeze – training American scientists in survival skills in Antarctica. He left in December of that year. Three months later he arrived back agitated and paranoid. He said that while out on the ice he had stumbled onto a secret American nuclear site and the CIA had given him a chemical lobotomy to keep him quiet. Jimmy rapidly descended into schizophrenia.
His behaviour became so frightening that his wife Frances fled to safety, taking their two children Sean and Juliet with her. For thirty years the family lived with this story, but no one ever dug deeper. The man they loved went away sane and came back permanently fractured – his mind was a blizzard. His wife fled with their two children. Now, thirty years later, his daughter Juliet will try to uncover the truth and reconnect with what's left of the man she called her father.
Credits
- Producers Rachel Landers, Dylan Blowen ; director, Juliet Lamont ; composer, Benjamin Speed ; animation, Sam Challis.
'PECKING ORDER' (PG some coarse language) plus short film
'Pecking Order' treads a fine line between documentary and mockumentary, and it was hard to tell if the laughter in the theatre was coming from a good place. But as the story settles, director Slavko Martinov does a lovely job revealing the characters with respect and dignity, and you find yourself wishing them well and seeing chicken shows as perfectly everyday.
We meet veteran and sitting President Doug Bain, who has been showing chickens for over 50 years and is under pressure to stand aside for a younger, more progressive President. The alternative leader is Mark Lilley, who would love the job but refuses to take it if one feather is ruffled in the process. Sorry, resisting chicken puns is hard.
Mark shares his love of poultry with his son Rhys, who at 14 has been showing at (and winning) competitions for five years. He thinks he's a bit different - I reckon he's one of the coolest teens I've met; comfortable and content in his own interests.
Oh, I should mention the chickens are impressive too - quite beautiful in fact.
But there's more to this film than a tribute to Best in Show with chickens, this is a film about Kiwis being Kiwis, delivered thought the portrayal of a club in disarray and all the wonderful human-ness and drama it brings with it.
2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club, and Pecking Order is a wonderful way to celebrate. ****(NZ HERALD)
Cast: Doug Bain, Mark Lilley Director: Slavko Martinov Rating: PG (Some coarse language) Running time: 85 mins
Verdict: A heartwarming Kiwi classic. from Vendetta films. 2017
'Pecking Order' treads a fine line between documentary and mockumentary, and it was hard to tell if the laughter in the theatre was coming from a good place. But as the story settles, director Slavko Martinov does a lovely job revealing the characters with respect and dignity, and you find yourself wishing them well and seeing chicken shows as perfectly everyday.
We meet veteran and sitting President Doug Bain, who has been showing chickens for over 50 years and is under pressure to stand aside for a younger, more progressive President. The alternative leader is Mark Lilley, who would love the job but refuses to take it if one feather is ruffled in the process. Sorry, resisting chicken puns is hard.
Mark shares his love of poultry with his son Rhys, who at 14 has been showing at (and winning) competitions for five years. He thinks he's a bit different - I reckon he's one of the coolest teens I've met; comfortable and content in his own interests.
Oh, I should mention the chickens are impressive too - quite beautiful in fact.
But there's more to this film than a tribute to Best in Show with chickens, this is a film about Kiwis being Kiwis, delivered thought the portrayal of a club in disarray and all the wonderful human-ness and drama it brings with it.
2017 marks the 150th anniversary of the Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club, and Pecking Order is a wonderful way to celebrate. ****(NZ HERALD)
Cast: Doug Bain, Mark Lilley Director: Slavko Martinov Rating: PG (Some coarse language) Running time: 85 mins
Verdict: A heartwarming Kiwi classic. from Vendetta films. 2017
October 8pm (doors open 7-15pm)
DARK HORSE (PG some coarse language)
Sorry for the late notice on this film but we have been waiting for two distributors to give us permission on a couple of films we were looking at showing 'My Year with Helen' and 'Mc Claren' we will have to wait for a while for these to become available for a public screening HOWEVER....we have got the clearance on a wonderful feel-good film that was shown at the Lopdell Precinct film festival earlier this year...'Dark Horse' No NOT the wonderful chess playing New Zealand film 'The Dark Horse' with Cliff Curtis and James Rolleston but a wonderful Welsh film, with a similar story line of an individual overcoming the odds - only in this case, that individual happens to be a horse. A true story about working-class heroes who do what nobody else thought they could and so there is a comparison to be made with the New Zealand movie.... every bit as irresistible as as Billy Elliott or The Full Monty.
Admission; $12 and $10 for Seniors/Students Under 14 yrs FREE. Includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits/ Trailer and full details on our website www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com No need to book, doors open 7-15pm film shows at 8pm
DARK HORSE (PG some coarse language)
Sorry for the late notice on this film but we have been waiting for two distributors to give us permission on a couple of films we were looking at showing 'My Year with Helen' and 'Mc Claren' we will have to wait for a while for these to become available for a public screening HOWEVER....we have got the clearance on a wonderful feel-good film that was shown at the Lopdell Precinct film festival earlier this year...'Dark Horse' No NOT the wonderful chess playing New Zealand film 'The Dark Horse' with Cliff Curtis and James Rolleston but a wonderful Welsh film, with a similar story line of an individual overcoming the odds - only in this case, that individual happens to be a horse. A true story about working-class heroes who do what nobody else thought they could and so there is a comparison to be made with the New Zealand movie.... every bit as irresistible as as Billy Elliott or The Full Monty.
Admission; $12 and $10 for Seniors/Students Under 14 yrs FREE. Includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits/ Trailer and full details on our website www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com No need to book, doors open 7-15pm film shows at 8pm
BY POPULAR DEMAND...
Friday 10th November
(doors open 7-15pm)
'NO ORDINARY SHEILA' (G) 85mins
In Hugh Macdonald’s fascinating and inspiring doco, his cousin, writer and illustrator Sheila Natusch, retraces a long life dedicated to sharing her understanding and love of New Zealand’s nature and history. If you haven’t already heard of Sheila Natusch, prepare to be inspired. The life story of this nonagenarian natural historian, illustrator and writer is a beautiful, truly Antipodean journey, made with love by her cousin and long-time Kiwi filmmaker, Hugh Macdonald (This is New Zealand).
Featuring beautiful historic footage of the lower south in the 30s and 40s, this film offers fascinating glimpses into life as one of few female students at Otago University, and covers Sheila’s friendship with Janet Frame and their subsequent and unsuccessful foray into teaching. Moving to Wellington in the 50s saw Sheila and husband Gilbert Natusch take up residence in Owhiro Bay, while she had professional stints at the National Library and Correspondence School.
Born in 1926 on Rakiura (Stewart Island) to the Traill family, Sheila’s early childhood memories include a near-drowning at the hands of schoolmates – this and other life misfortunes she shrugs off casually. Growing up in the deep south led to an adventurous resilience which saw her climb multiple mountains, cycle from Picton to Bluff and write dozens of groundbreaking natural history books, including her magnum opus, Animals of New Zealand.
Viewers will love this radiant, defiant and unconventional life story which ranges from the southern wilds to the rugged Wellington coastline, where Sheila still lived until very recently, without car, TV, lipstick or alcohol, planning to “get the last bit of fun out of life that there is.” — Jo Randerson NZIFF
Admission: $12 and $10 senior/student Under 14yrs FREE .Includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits/ Trailer and full details on our website www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com No need to book, doors open 7-15pm film shows at 8pm
Friday 10th November
(doors open 7-15pm)
'NO ORDINARY SHEILA' (G) 85mins
In Hugh Macdonald’s fascinating and inspiring doco, his cousin, writer and illustrator Sheila Natusch, retraces a long life dedicated to sharing her understanding and love of New Zealand’s nature and history. If you haven’t already heard of Sheila Natusch, prepare to be inspired. The life story of this nonagenarian natural historian, illustrator and writer is a beautiful, truly Antipodean journey, made with love by her cousin and long-time Kiwi filmmaker, Hugh Macdonald (This is New Zealand).
Featuring beautiful historic footage of the lower south in the 30s and 40s, this film offers fascinating glimpses into life as one of few female students at Otago University, and covers Sheila’s friendship with Janet Frame and their subsequent and unsuccessful foray into teaching. Moving to Wellington in the 50s saw Sheila and husband Gilbert Natusch take up residence in Owhiro Bay, while she had professional stints at the National Library and Correspondence School.
Born in 1926 on Rakiura (Stewart Island) to the Traill family, Sheila’s early childhood memories include a near-drowning at the hands of schoolmates – this and other life misfortunes she shrugs off casually. Growing up in the deep south led to an adventurous resilience which saw her climb multiple mountains, cycle from Picton to Bluff and write dozens of groundbreaking natural history books, including her magnum opus, Animals of New Zealand.
Viewers will love this radiant, defiant and unconventional life story which ranges from the southern wilds to the rugged Wellington coastline, where Sheila still lived until very recently, without car, TV, lipstick or alcohol, planning to “get the last bit of fun out of life that there is.” — Jo Randerson NZIFF
Admission: $12 and $10 senior/student Under 14yrs FREE .Includes Tea/Coffee/Biscuits/ Trailer and full details on our website www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com No need to book, doors open 7-15pm film shows at 8pm
Friday 1st December 8pm
BRAND NEW RELEASE FROM RIALTO
'The STOLEN' (M) 98 mins
New Zealand/Ireland/Germany Western/Drama /
Starring Alice Eve/Jack Davenport /Graham McTavish/ Stan Walker/Richard O’Brien
Written by Niall Johnson, Emily Corcoran (98mins)
Charlotte Lockton, a wealthy, upper class, English immigrant, chooses to forgo all of her home luxuries to find her kidnapped baby son. She navigates her way through the unruly and wild world of the gold rush in 1860's New Zealand, finding unlikely friendship amongst the hustlers, whores, Maori Warriors and Chinese Miners. But in the end, she must face the man who took the boy - and become the woman she never thought she'd be. In a wild, untamed New Zealand at the beginning of the Gold Rush, Charlotte Lockton (Eve) joins a convoy of whores, ex-cons and a Maori warrior heading for the rough mining community of Gold Town. There she meets Joshua McCullen, the owner of the town, a man who is key to uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of her son, forcing her to fight to the death for what she holds most dear.
SETTLERS FILM NIGHT Friday 1st December 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Admission: $12 & $10 concessions Cash sales only on door. Oratia Settlers Hall
Tel: 818 2489 www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com
BRAND NEW RELEASE FROM RIALTO
'The STOLEN' (M) 98 mins
New Zealand/Ireland/Germany Western/Drama /
Starring Alice Eve/Jack Davenport /Graham McTavish/ Stan Walker/Richard O’Brien
Written by Niall Johnson, Emily Corcoran (98mins)
Charlotte Lockton, a wealthy, upper class, English immigrant, chooses to forgo all of her home luxuries to find her kidnapped baby son. She navigates her way through the unruly and wild world of the gold rush in 1860's New Zealand, finding unlikely friendship amongst the hustlers, whores, Maori Warriors and Chinese Miners. But in the end, she must face the man who took the boy - and become the woman she never thought she'd be. In a wild, untamed New Zealand at the beginning of the Gold Rush, Charlotte Lockton (Eve) joins a convoy of whores, ex-cons and a Maori warrior heading for the rough mining community of Gold Town. There she meets Joshua McCullen, the owner of the town, a man who is key to uncovering the truth behind the disappearance of her son, forcing her to fight to the death for what she holds most dear.
SETTLERS FILM NIGHT Friday 1st December 8pm (Doors open 7-15pm)
Admission: $12 & $10 concessions Cash sales only on door. Oratia Settlers Hall
Tel: 818 2489 www.settlersfilmclub.weebly.com