All aboard for a rare cinematic treat

Wairarapa film buffs are in for a rare treat on Sunday with the screening of a home grown feature film that has already taken Wellington by storm.
Taking the Waewae Express,the first full feature from Wellington directors Andrea Bosshard and Shane Loader and Featherston cinematographer Deane Cronin will have its Wairarapa premiere at Featherston Cinema, New Zealand's first dedicated high-definition cinema and pre-bookings have virtually ensured a full house for the first screening.
The film received rave reviews after screening at Wellington's Paramount Theatre, especially in view of the fact it is a non-budget film with only one named actor, Rangimoana Taylor.
Attempts to attract grants to make the film failed and the film crew had to rely on donations from two individual film lovers to be able to finish filming. The Wellington premiere, helped by the filmmakers, Torchlight Films, personally telephoning people in the industry asking them to attend, attracted a sell-out crowd.
Deane Cronin said whereas 200 people had pledged they would come along from the ring-a-round, nearly 470 did on the night.
They included important industry people such as Annie Collins, editor of Lord of the Rings and Masterton film editor Richard Clark Taking the Waewae Express is an hour and a half long film that centres around the death of a young man in a foolish and completely avoidable car crash.
It looks at the impact on his friends and family, especially on his best mate who was driving and the culprit in the crash.
Mr Cronin said Wellington filmgoers had left the initial screening and commented it was a film that took them to many emotional planes.
"Many said it was the best film they had seen for ages, that it had such a strong message but had not preached to them."
Waewae is a maori term for walking and a colloquial translation of the film's title is Taking Shank's Pony.
The premiere showing in Featherston will be followed by a repeat screening on Sunday and another screening is scheduled for the following weekend.