January 24th we screened our baby to a Parisian audience. Luckily we had a superb French subtitles version by the lovely Raphaelle, and the audience totally got it.  Laughter throughout and lots of applause at the end were a wonderful intro for me as I went into the Q & A which lasted about 40 minutes.  I got into my French stride and and managed to parlez Francais throughout!  Lots of fun to be sure!  Thanks so much to Bernard Bories from the Cinema Anitpodes and the Australian Embassy for the venue and the NZ Embassy for the NZ wine, and also to a great audience!

Russian Snark – the independently produced and financed feature film written and directed by Stephen Sinclair, and produced by Liz DiFiore of Godzone Pictures Ltd. has picked up the top prize at the Brussels International Film Festival.

The festival was an amazing triumph for New Zealand Films with Matariki also picking up two awards for Best Director for Michael Bennett and Best Actor for Iaheto Ah Hi.

This has been a great opportunity to raise NZ’s profile in the Belgium capital.

Russian Snark’s award follows on from the October screening at the St Tropez Film Festival, and selection for the 2012 Cannes Cinephiles Film Festival in May 2012.

If you missed the NZ theatrical release, it is out on DVD in NZ only and available at www.russiansnark.com

Our film is out now in the DVD rental shops and for your very own copy available for purchase on line here for NZ  customers only. http://russiansnark.com/wordpress/shop/  We have had a great NZ theatrical release culminated with the screening & Q & A in early October in Great Barrier Island at Island Screens.  October 15th we screened in beautiful St Tropez in France, http://www.festivaldesantipodes.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=350&Itemid=235 and on November 5th we screen in competition at the Festival International du Film Independent in Brussels  http://www.centremultimedia.org/le-festival-2011/competition-internationale .  Check us out if you are in the area!

Ocotber 6th, we were hosted by Island Screens and the lovely Angela Wright in Great Barrier Island.  We were flown over in a tiny place – 10 seater Islander, and I had the luck of sitting next to the pilot on this little adventure! It was a beautiful day and our flight was superb!  What an incredible view of the Hauraki Gulf!

Touching down in Okiwi, there was no one to meet us but our poster was on the wall and the car had the keys in it ready to go! We found a map and headed to the picturesque town of Typhena where we were staying.  On arrival we found that we were next door to there Currach Irish Pub and staying at the lovely Pohutukawa Lodge.

That night we had a great screening at the Tryphena Social Club with an excellent turnout for the Q & A and a slap up meal to boot! Real Barrier Hospitality!

The Devonport Speculator covers the screening of Russian Snark. The film will be screened at the Victoria Theater in Devonport following a short Q & A session with the writer and director Stephen Sinclair (Ladies Night, The Bach, The Lord of the Rings, Braindead) and the films producer Liz DiFiore. The film was partly shot in Devonport and some of the cast and crew are from the area (including the Devonport-based actress Elena Stejko) therefore this screening holds great importance for everyone involved. Sinclair says it made sense to use his own backyard as the location for his first film as a director.

“I’m very familiar with the terrain round Narrow Neck, Cheltenham and North Head, where the rock formations and vistas offer fantastic visual possibilities,” he says. “And, of course, it’s nice and handy!”

http://www.speculator.co.nz/2011/critically-acclaimed-local-film-returns-to-devonport-home-turf/

Yay – a screening in Devonport! Local residents Stephen Sinclair, Elena Stejko and DOP Steve Latty all hail from Devonport so we should get a great crowd. Q & A on the 29th in the evening – 8pm will feature Stephen Sinclair, Liz DiFiore, Stephen Papps, Elena Stejko and Stephanie Tauevihi.

We are gearing up for the DVD release as you know and nearly finished the slick.  We have a pre release planned as part of Arts Week and in conjunction with the Wallace Arts Trust who will be screening Russian Snark as a fund raiser for the gallery.  Watch this space for a link to the Arts Week info.

If you are looking for a respite from the Rugby World Cup, a screening of Russian Snark with a Q & A including Stephen Sinclair, Liz DiFiore, Stephen Papps, Elena Stejko and Stephanie Tauevihi followed by delicious wines and snacks and a chance to meet and greet the creatives behind this fantastic art film might be just the ticket! Keep October 14th free!

Well screenings in NZ have nearly finished and we are looking at the next step which is the DVD release. The lovely Andrew Ashton is working on the cover which we are sure will be stinking hot when he finishes with it!  If you know anyone who would like to sell DVD’s on our behalf, let us know!