"It was kind of amazing driving up and seeing all these people standing around and realising it was for our film. Tickets have been in hot demand. There's been a lot of bargaining going on," he said. "It's a celebration of everyone that made this."
Mr Steel described the nine-and-a-half months it took to create the movie as a "crazy ride".
"It's beyond my wildest dreams," he said.
Mark Tugendhaft and Nedilka Radojkovich, the inspiration for the story, were excited to see the final product.
The couple and their children were behind the original mining protests in the Coromandel 20 years ago.
"It's really exciting and we can't wait to see it. We're really rapt that Anton's made this film about how communities can win," Ms Radojkovich said.
The timing of the release was perfect with the mining companies again making a bid to explore and drill off the country's coast, Mr Tugendhaft said.
Pongakawa School student Malachi White, 12, played the son of main characters Dave and Mareeka and was excited to finally see the finished product.
"I think it will be really, really cool," he said. "It was a great opportunity."
Long-time Te Puke resident Mike Carr was thrilled by the huge turnout last night.
"I haven't see the little town come together like this since we built the War Memorial Hall in 1960," he said.
