245:. The film is a story about loss, love and hope in a small rural community where the people are the heroes. It focuses on a father who is a farmer and his adult son, and how they face the bereavement of a wife and a mother respectively. The film also explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life. It is also a tribute to Bennett's childhood growing up in rural New Zealand.
398:
praised the actors' performances, writing: "Napier and
Holloway turn in insightful, introspective performances that couldnât better encapsulate the movieâs affectionately reflective mood. And while House, newcomer Retimana and Tamarapa have livelier, more comic parts, this is a film about empathy and
347:
has something special to offer", with "its lush green good looks" and its 'well-chosen cast". Their review noted "an undercurrent of humor that keeps the tone light" and "the subtlety of the actors and their ability to communicate wordlessly with each other". In a review rated four and a half stars
383:
rated it four-and-a-half stars, remarking: "It's the classic Kiwi connection of man and son, talking without talking, studiously steering clear of each other's pain in order not to ignite their own, and
Bennett cleverly lets the sights and sounds of the farm do some of the talking for them,
42:
391:
noted that
Bennett's "characters are observed with a rare level of compassion which lifts everything it touches"; reviewer Annabel Brady-Brown remarks that the film also "explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life."
252:
On its release, the film received widespread critical acclaim in New
Zealand, Australia and the US. It was also awarded several prizes at film festivals. It received the "Best Screenplay Award" at the International Film Festival & Awards
358:
is a sweet, poignant, achingly well written and quite beautiful film. It tells its story with a minimum of fuss and dialogue, but still leaves nothing uncertain. It is funny when it needs to be, but never backs off from tragedy and loss."
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hailed it as "a fondly bittersweet tribute to the rural
Northland" with "some astute, understated writing and warm, witty supporting turns". In a four out of five star review,
528:
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is a joy to watch â a warm, humorous, heartfelt film filled with loss, love and hope that had me laughing out loud one moment, and crying the next."
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595:"MACAO 2019 Awards Kirill Mikhanovsky's Give Me Liberty wins the fourth International Film Festival & Awardsâ§Macao"
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balance in every respect, awarding its most amusing, laugh-out-loud moment belongs to its quietest character."
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Kahukura
Retimana as Marley - a 11-year-old local who helps Ross out on the farm after school
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explores men's mental health and importance of community in rural life"
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533:: A sweet, poignant, achingly well written and quite beautiful movie"
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In 2021 the film won the Jury Grand Prix, Best feature film, at the
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punctuating proceedings with bursts of genuine hilarity."
651:"New Zealand Country of Focus at Sydney Film Festival"
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charming audiences with an ode to the NZ heartland"
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801:Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes
625:Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes
409:Rencontres internationales du cinéma des Antipodes
323:. before its theatrical release in November 2019.
327:grossed $ 421,494 in New Zealand and Australia.
299:Stephen Tamarapa as Clem - a humorous rural vet
8:
797:"All the Awards from Festival des Antipodes"
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498:, a 'Joy to Watch' [Film Review]"
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296:as Beth - Ross's wife and Bruce's mother
257:, and the "Jury Grand Prix" at the 2021
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287:as Connie - Bruce's friend and employer
492:Rudkin, Francesca (7 November 2019).
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321:Melbourne International Film Festival
278:as Ross, a sixty-five year old farmer
142:Herringbone Productions, Stella Maria
70:Orlando Stewart, Catherine Fitzgerald
7:
949:Films about fatherâson relationships
736:Brady-Brown, Annabel (2 July 2020).
281:Cohen Holloway as Bruce - Ross's son
27:2018 film directed by Hamish Bennett
954:English-language comedy-drama films
527:Tuckett, Graeme (6 November 2019).
335:The film received glowing reviews.
959:English-language independent films
25:
766:Ward, SaraSarah (19 June 2019).
706:Rodger, Kate (2 November 2019).
461:Adams, Tim (10 December 2019).
319:, and was also screened at the
343:praised the film saying that "
1:
914:New Zealand independent films
627:. 25 May 2022. Archived from
229:film written and directed by
879:2010 directorial debut films
874:2010s English-language films
411:(Antipodean Film Festival).
249:is Bennett's feature debut.
681:Hamish Bennett New Zealand"
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315:The film premiered at the
929:New Zealand romance films
924:Films shot in New Zealand
894:Films about mental health
463:"'Bellbird': Film Review"
39:
939:New Zealand comedy films
919:Films about MÄori people
909:Films set in New Zealand
259:Antipodean Film Festival
934:New Zealand drama films
889:2010s New Zealand films
869:2019 comedy-drama films
944:2019 independent films
503:The New Zealand Herald
387:In a positive review,
370:The New Zealand Herald
340:The Hollywood Reporter
904:Films about widowhood
302:Kip Chapman as Graeme
884:MÄori-language films
738:"New Zealand comedy
317:Sydney Film Festival
18:Bellbird (2019 film)
494:"New rural dramedy
899:Films about autism
601:. 11 December 2019
572:Hollywood Reporter
305:Bree Peters as Ana
151:Transmission Films
432:"Bellbird (2019)"
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94:Kahukura Retimana
16:(Redirected from
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621:"2021 Palmares"
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631:on 25 May 2022
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567:: Film Review"
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148:Distributed by
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657:. 10 May 2019
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348:out of five,
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804:. Retrieved
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719:. Retrieved
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659:. Retrieved
655:Nzfilm.co.nz
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633:. Retrieved
629:the original
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285:Rachel House
263:Saint Tropez
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239:Rachel House
215:
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180:Running time
157:Release date
90:Rachel House
29:
806:28 February
781:30 November
751:30 November
721:30 November
691:30 November
661:30 November
635:30 November
605:30 November
579:30 November
542:30 November
537:Stuff.co.nz
509:30 November
474:30 November
395:ScreenDaily
351:Stuff.co.nz
221:New Zealand
129:Karl Steven
67:Produced by
49:Directed by
864:2019 films
858:Categories
838:Press Kit"
746:Abc.net.au
415:References
219:is a 2019
205:Box office
184:96 minutes
135:Production
708:"Review:
373:stated: "
331:Reception
208:$ 421,494
137:companies
118:Edited by
844:Bellbird
836:Bellbird
770:Bellbird
740:Bellbird
710:Bellbird
685:Miff.com
679:Bellbird
565:Bellbird
531:Bellbird
496:Bellbird
389:ABC Arts
375:Bellbird
356:Bellbird
354:wrote: "
345:Bellbird
325:Bellbird
247:Bellbird
216:Bellbird
197:Language
126:Music by
75:Starring
35:Bellbird
716:Newshub
468:Variety
441:22 July
380:Newshub
364:Variety
311:Release
200:English
189:Country
166: (
687:. 2019
403:Awards
227:comedy
255:Macao
224:drama
808:2024
783:2023
753:2023
723:2023
693:2023
663:2023
637:2023
607:2023
581:2023
544:2023
511:2023
476:2023
443:2019
269:Cast
241:and
168:2019
164:2019
847:at
261:in
860::
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683:.
653:.
623:.
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569:.
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192:NZ
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
