There must have been close to 2,000 people in the Civic Theatre in Downtown Auckland last night for the world premiere of River of Freedom, the film about the Wellington Occupation of February and March 2022. As I walked home alone along wet Auckland streets, I asked myself if any film had moved me so much and stirred me so deeply over a sustained period of time. I really could not think of one.
Your reflection on the mood in the cinema are closely aligned with my ones in Christchurch. It was a professionally put together movie where the focus on the technical aspects lived nicely in harmony with the human, emotional content. Hats off to Gaylene and her crew not just putting this all together but achieving such high quality both in content and in implementation.
The minuscule changes I would make are a few extra lines where some persons "feature". The current position of some of those playing key "villain roles": Trevor Mallard who is not the Speaker of the House any more, Michael Woods who is not a minister any more due to being found corrupt about those airport shares, ... just to show how words of those prominent figures aged really badly.
Agree about Michael Woods especially. We don't know of certain that he was the inspirer of the title but almost certainly he was and those were such horrible words that he said. A "lowlight" of the film to hear them again in that context in the film.
One of my ambitions is to one day see an actual duckpond on Parliament Grounds called the Mallard Pond and immortalise him that way.
Whilst this fiesty geezer has some minor quibbling with how the movie was constructed, you have crafted a great word picture of it. Well done my friend.
Thank you Mike. Beautifully articulated once again. You took me on a journey it was as though I was watching the river of freedom all over again. Love your writing 😊😘
Your reflection on the mood in the cinema are closely aligned with my ones in Christchurch. It was a professionally put together movie where the focus on the technical aspects lived nicely in harmony with the human, emotional content. Hats off to Gaylene and her crew not just putting this all together but achieving such high quality both in content and in implementation.
The minuscule changes I would make are a few extra lines where some persons "feature". The current position of some of those playing key "villain roles": Trevor Mallard who is not the Speaker of the House any more, Michael Woods who is not a minister any more due to being found corrupt about those airport shares, ... just to show how words of those prominent figures aged really badly.
Agree about Michael Woods especially. We don't know of certain that he was the inspirer of the title but almost certainly he was and those were such horrible words that he said. A "lowlight" of the film to hear them again in that context in the film.
One of my ambitions is to one day see an actual duckpond on Parliament Grounds called the Mallard Pond and immortalise him that way.
Whilst this fiesty geezer has some minor quibbling with how the movie was constructed, you have crafted a great word picture of it. Well done my friend.
Onwards!
Any idea how Portaloo Phil and Allan who got King hit and hip broken are doing?
Alan is Sue Grey's partner, right? Yes, saw him and he's doing fine. Don't know about PP.
I'm gkad to hear Alan has recovered
Thank you Mike. Beautifully articulated once again. You took me on a journey it was as though I was watching the river of freedom all over again. Love your writing 😊😘
Thanks, Doreen.
Someone told me today that if you read the article you won't need to see the film. However that is not true!