Actor Sam Neill discusses New Zealand film and his own experiences within and without.
Direction
Neill's personal narration turns academic history into tipsy dinner party gossip.
Writing
The 'Cinema of Unease' thesis—anxiety as national aesthetic—is genuinely sharp.
Production
Clips from forgotten Kiwi gems that'll send you down a rabbit hole.
Director
Judy Rymer
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Neill reportedly conceived this after too many international journalists asked why New Zealand films were so depressing. The wine glass in his hand throughout was apparently non-negotiable.
This doc coined 'Cinema of Unease' as critical shorthand for NZ film—a term still weaponized and debated at film festivals today. Neill essentially branded an entire national aesthetic over 52 minutes.
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