Short Film – NARRATIVE DRAMA 2018

watch IT HERE

Synopsis

Koro sits in his car. War medals, pinned to his suit, lie in his lap. He is lost in the thought of another ANZAC service. Koro’s thoughts are interrupted when his grandsons, Whenua and Soul, bang into the car, fighting over Whenua’s phone. The phone pumps out battle sounds from a digital war game.
The sounds of war jar Koro’s memory of his days in the jungle during the Vietnam war, and he is catapulted back to that time, the fear and torment move him to find a safe haven. But, Whenua and Soul get caught in the crossfire of Koro’s memories, as Koro tries to protect his comrades, Timoti and Maaka. Soul and Whenua are confused, shaken and injured, while Koro feels anguish and shame that he has not protected them.
A new day dawns for Koro and his whānau. Soul joins Koro in his car and reconciles the events from yesterday, forgiving Koro for hurting him. As Soul and Whenua leave on the school bus, Koro joins them, hoping to make it to the dawn ANZAC service.

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Introducing

Soul Gates-Paul (middle) as **Soul**
Whenua Peri (right) as **Whenua**
Nicky Gates-Paul as (left) **Susan**
**and**
Jim Moriarty as **Koro**
*[Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kanungunu]*
Jim Moriarty's screen career has ranged from 70s soap *Close to Home* and Rowley Habib's *The Protestors*, to starring in mock- doco *The Waimate Conspiracy* and playing Dad in The Strength of Water. Committed to theatre as a tool for change, he has often worked with troubled youth (eg 2003 documentary Make or Break). Moriarty's directing work includes TV's *Mataku*, and a stage musical of *Once Were Warriors*.

CREDITS

Written & Directed by Nicholas Riini
Producers Simone Ashton & Nicholas Riini
Executive Producer Ainsley Gardiner
Director of Photography Raymond Edwards
Production Designer Jannine Spiers
Costume Designer Simone Ashton
Hair & Make-up Designer Polly Jones-Morris
Production Sound Recordist Alf Rose
Editor Pablo Araus & Taoitekura Eruera
First Assistant Director Anton Steel
Script Supervisor Amanda Aitken
Directors Assistant Kyann Gates
Producers Assistant De Baynton
1st Assistant Camera Jamieson Montgomery
Stills Photographer Dyego Continas
Gaffer Dyego Continas
Digital Colourist Hannah Walker
Sound Designer Joel Anscombe-Smith
Music Shadow of a Man by Firefly Music

CAST

Soul Gates-Paul as Soul
Whenua Peri as Whenua
Nicky Gates-Paul as Susan
Jim Moriarty as Koro