April 2011 – Our screening at the Garden State Film Festival went down really well – they said they hadn’t seen enough films like ours lately and really appreciated the art movie elements of our film, so much so that we were awarded Best International Film! Getting the award framed for the office now – you bet!

At the end of the month we learned that we had been selected for the Wairoa Maori Film Festival in Gisbourne early June.  Along with another film from the Godzone Pictures stable – Hugh & Heke, it will be screening on Matariki/Queens Birthday weekend at the Nuhaka Marae near the Mahia Peninsula.  We have never been there before so will head down to represent.  Looking forward to getting to that part of the country again as it’s been quite a while.

October 2010 – April 2011 – In a flurry after the film awards in September we learned that we had been officially selected for the Mumbai Film Festival in India.  What a great opportunity to get in front of a crowd of film officianados! Our friend Claude Dasan (ex Wellington Panavision NZ), & Rubber Monkey was working in Mumbai and came along to the screening to represent which was very cool!

December saw 3 nominations at the Maverick Movie Awards in the USA, which was very exciting as Elena was up against Joan Rivers as Best Supporting Actress, so we were in great company!  Early February we heard from the Garden State Film Festival that we had been officially selected.  Based in Asbury Park, the festival was in The Boss’s hometown.  Nice work everybody!

February to September 2010 -
Russian Snark has had a mad year – finishing the film after pick ups in February to improve the piece, then having a mad flurry to get ready for the upcoming events and take the opportunity of getting post sound and picture done at Park Road in a tiny window they had.
Running in tandem with this timing was a busy trip to Moscow to market our Russian /English movie to the Russians on official invitation from the first Moscow Film Market (running in conjunction with the Moscow Film Festival) and then the looming NZ International Film Festival where we were in official selection. Stephen went to Wellington and I went to Russia. Whew!
The Festival had a huge audience – over 500 at the opening night, and a wonderful party at Squid Row afterwards, sponsored by Russian Standard Vodka and Skazka, the local Russian Supermarket. Lots of gaiety and Russian fans attended and we had a wonderful night. Garry Volk one of our Russian actors who played the part of Nikolai came over from Australia for the night and graced us with his ever-elegant presence.
Unfortunately both the leads were working (mostly a good thing!). Stephen Papps was performing in Wellington and Elena was in Romeo and Juliette so similarly neither could not make the premier. It was great that we had Garry to represent!
Following the festival we then had the hugely exciting news that we had 6 nominations in the Qantas New Zealand Film and TV Awards, and we up against films much better known and with far larger budgets – Vintners Luck, Boy, Under the Mountain and Home by Christmas.
This was definitely something to look forward to. Both Stephen and I attended the Craft Awards on the Friday where we had two nominations – Best Music for David Long and Stephen Gallagher and Best VFX for Park Road Post. Had a great lunch.
The next night was the awards on Saturday night. Our nominations were for Best Director of a Feature Film – Stephen Sinclair, Best Actor – Stephen Papps, Best Actress – Elena Stejko, Best Supporting Actress – Stephanie Tauevihi. We were all there with bells on!
The team gathered and all frocked up – men in their best tuxes, we headed out to the red carpet in our limo! Paparazzi shots as we exited the stretch and we had a great spot lined up for a pre awards Champagne as we watched all the rest of the celebs strut their stuff as they headed in.
A fab night all round and we collected Best Supporting Actress for the very delighted and deserving Stephanie Tauevihi! A barefoot babe, she carried it off in style!