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| In My Father's Den By Kiran Dass At long bloody last, it looks like New Zealand film is moving away from the vile barrage of self-conscious, kitschy stories that don't celebrate who we are, but rather poke fun at and turn us into caricatures. I've often tried to figure out what the problem is with Kiwi filmmakers who make films that fall flat. Is it because there are too many who fancy themselves as writer/directors and who are good at the technical side, but have no idea how to tell a yarn? Is it because they're too afraid to tell stories that actually mean something to them, so they just opt for wacky, meaningless, feel-good comedies that miss the opportunity to celebrate what it means to belong to this special little country? Savage Honeymoon and Kombi Nation, anyone? AdvertisementAdvertisementFilms like Smash Palace, Vigil, Sleeping Dogs, The Piano, Heavenly Creatures, Rain (if you can get past the fact it looks like a Xenical ad), and now Brad McGann's feature film debut In my Father's Den eschew the banal "Oh look at us, we're just silly Kiwis" aesthetic in favour of something much more interesting and powerful. It was the first New Zealand film in 50 years to open the Sydney Film Festival and the centrepiece at this year's International Film Festival, where Helen Clark made a doozy of a blunder by referring to the author of the book on which the film is based as . . . ahem, Maurice Shadbolt, as opposed to Mr Gee. After 17 years away from New Zealand, photojournalist Paul Prior (an intense and very watchable Matthew MacFadyen in a role that mirrors infamous photographer Kevin Carter) returns to the central Otago town where he grew up, to settle his deceased father's estate. He cuts a romantic, lone-wolf figure, and upon his return everyone - from his twitchy, god-fearing brother Andrew (whose acting comes across as more wooden than the furniture) to his ex-girlfriend (Jodie Rimmer) - is still bitter about him leaving. The den in question is where Paul's dad used to hang out and drink wine, read literature and erm . . . entertain ladies. When Paul finds 16-year-old local girl Celia (Emma Barclay, who looks alarmingly "street" for a small-town girl) has been using the room as a getaway, he also discovers they're both outsiders, cut from the same cloth. Despite the age difference the duo form a bond, which in turn sparks small-town whispers. And the plot thickens, morphing into a terse murder mystery showcasing filthy family laundry, voyeurism, mental illness, relationships and guilt. Sure it sounds like a web-of-deceit-TV-movie-of-the-week but the whole affair is so stylish, restrained and atmospheric that it manages not to be. The rugged, vast wilderness of the south is the perfect backdrop for the story; in fact it's all a bit Twin Peaks - I've always wondered why nobody ever tapped into New Zealand's potential as the perfect place to play at being David Lynch. While it begins with appalling, claustrophobic camera work - weird, expressionist angles and depth-of-field and an ugly glare - it does get better. But it's the intricate story and the fine performances that shine. Sure, much has been made of Barclay's portrayal of the surly, inquisitive and precocious teen but it's Brit McFadyen who steals the show. With a compelling screen presence and a great way of bringing little idiosyncrasies to his character that make him all the more believable, he commands your attention. As a whole, the film works wonderfully. Even the use of music is considered and appropriate. Though never a Patti Smith enthusiast, the use of her music here swayed me, and the evocative, dreamy strains of Mazzy Star are quite beautiful and only heighten the sharp sense of atmosphere. McGann's done a good job here. He's proved he can interpret an existing tale successfully and he obviously can bring a strong vision to fruition. It'll be interesting to see if he chooses to go down the writer-director path, and what he'll come up with when creating his own stories. Obviously, Gee's original novel was a damn fine starting point, giving McGann a head start, but he is certainly one to watch. For further information please contact: Elizabeth Trotman, Hoyts Distribution DDI: +(64)
9 306 7525 Kathleen Drumm, NZ Film Commission DDI: +
(64) 4 382 7685
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