New Film Shooting in Auckland

MEDIA RELEASE Nov 13, 2009

New Zealand feature film HOPES & DREAMS, now shooting in Howick, Auckland, has four award-winning actors in lead roles. Australian William McInnes (Unfinished Sky, Look Both Ways, Seachange) joins Robyn Malcolm (Outrageous Fortune, Boogeyman), Joel Tobeck (30 Days of Nights, Little Fish, Eagle vs Shark) and Sarah Peirse (Rain, Heavenly Creatures) in this drama, which also stars talented newcomers Josh McKenzie and Melissa Xiao.

In equal measures charming and infuriating, Gazza Snell (McInnes) is mad about karting – as are his teenage boys Marc and Ed. A passion reluctantly accepted by their mother, Gail (Malcolm). She loves Gazza, but feels like an outsider in her marriage, and sometimes her own family. Then the boys collide on the track. Marc is unhurt but Ed’s in a coma. Gail’s worst nightmare has come true. And so begins a journey that will tear the family apart, but will end with them closer than ever before. Changing Gazza’s worldview dramatically – from a man rooted in the practical to a man willing, and perhaps able, to make extraordinary things happen.

HOPES & DREAMS is directed by Brendan Donovan, who also wrote the script with David Brechin-Smith (Insider’s Guide). It is a first feature for Donovan, who has written and directed several short films including the award-winning Here; directed television drama, including establishing the acclaimed Insider’s Guide to Happiness and Insider’s Guide to Love, for which he won a Qantas best director award; disaster tele-film Aftershock, which earned him this year’s Qantas best director award; and numerous TV commercials and music videos in New Zealand and internationally.

HOPES & DREAMS is an Eyeworks film in association with New Zealand Film Commission, NZ On Air and TV3. Australasian distribution is by Rialto, distributor of recent smash hit ($2 million box office) Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls. Rialto plans NZ release of HOPES & DREAMS for late 2010. International sales are handled by NZ Film.

Executive producers are Julie Christie and Simon Millar and producer is Robin Scholes (Once Were Warriors, Rain, Broken English). Director of photography is Tristan Milani (Balibo, Three Dollars), production designer Phil Ivey (District 9, Perfect Creature), costume designer Kirsty Cameron (In My Father’s Den, Perfect Creature), editor Christopher Plummer (Dean Spanley, Under the Mountain).

ENDS

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