Waikato Screen film tour: Home Kills brings ‘Kiwi Fargo’ vibe to local cinemas

Stefan Dennis, the 36 year Neighbours veteran, plays gang kingpin Woods in Home Kills.

Cambridge born, bred and based Matt Hicks is passionate about making films that reflect small-town New Zealand life and is part of the Home Kills crew taking their movie on a tour of Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel cinemas with support from Waikato Screen, the regional film office.

Producer Hicks, also a writer/actor/director, says Home Kills is basically a bunch of former Shortland Street, Outrageous Fortune and Neighbours actors “being a bit dodgy in rural Waikato”.

“It’s such a good feeling to have our Waikato-shot film play in some awesome local cinemas. It feels like a little homecoming in a way,” Hicks says.

“The critics are calling it the Kiwi Fargo which is such a big honour.

“It’s such a buzz seeing the Waikato and BOP on the big screen. We really do live in a great part of the country.

“Heaps of our actors have gone onto bigger things. Our female lead Mavournee Hazel is one of the core cast of NCIS: Sydney. One of our lead males Josh McKenzie has been on American TV shows La Brea and The Hunting Party. We have 36 year Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis who you’ll know as Paul Robinson playing the bad guy. The cast all round is absolute quality.”

The project was filmed around many Waikato towns including Cambridge, Putāruru, Te Awamutu, Matamata and also Pukehina, Coastlands and other Bay of Plenty areas.

Home Kills is dark, but out of the shade there is light and humour. The world is one of despair but without slipping into parody. The humour is deadpan and the performances are natural and grounded.

“It’s desperate times for a small rural home kills and butchery service. As big business begins to threaten their livelihood the owners fall into offering a new service – killing people, to make ends meet,” the logline states.

The tour will begin at WhakaMax Whakatāne on September 3 before heading along the trail of Putāruru, Tauranga, Hamilton, Whitianga, Thames, Cambridge, Raglan, Te Awamutu and Matamata with several more locations to be confirmed.

These will be one-off screenings with a Q and A session.

Director Haydn Butler says the project wouldn’t have been possible without Waikato Screen.

“The regional film office Waikato Screen has been so helpful to us in making this film,” Butler says.

“Myself and other key production members are based in Sydney. It was so good having Waikato Screen on the ground pointing us in the right direction with permits, crew and locations.

“They really care about promoting films in the region. Without them, we wouldn’t have had our sold-out shows at last year’s New Zealand International Film Festival.”

Contact individual cinemas about how to purchase tickets.

The Home Kills crew shoot with Maungatautari Mountain in the background.

Waikato Screen Presents the Home Kills Q and A Cinema Tour schedule:

Tuesday, September 3: Whakatāne (WhakaMax) – 7.30pm.

Wednesday, September 4: Putāruru (The Plaza) – 6.30pm.

Thursday, September 5: Tauranga (Luxe) – 7.30pm.

Friday, September 6: Hamilton (Lido) – 6.30pm.

Tuesday, September 10: Whitianga (Mercury Twin Cinemas) – 6.30pm.

Wednesday, September 11: Thames (Left Bank Theatre) – 7pm.

Thursday, September 12: Cambridge (Tivoli Cinema) – 6.30pm.

Friday, September 13: Raglan (Raglan Old School Arts Centre) – 6.30pm.

Sunday, September 15: Te Awamutu (Regent Theatre) – 6pm.

Monday, September 16: Matamata (Matamata Little Theatre) – 6.30pm.

Jesse Wood is a multimedia journalist based in Te Awamutu. He joined NZME in 2020.