234:. 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.
31:
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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
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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
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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,
380:
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."
241:
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
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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,
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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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584:"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"
522:: 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."
640:"New Zealand Country of Focus at Sydney Film Festival"
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charming audiences with an ode to the NZ heartland"
790:Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes
614:Rencontres Internationales du Cinéma des Antipodes
398:Rencontres internationales du cinéma des Antipodes
312:. before its theatrical release in November 2019.
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316:grossed $ 421,494 in New Zealand and Australia.
288:Stephen Tamarapa as Clem - a humorous rural vet
786:"All the Awards from Festival des Antipodes"
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481:Rudkin, Francesca (7 November 2019).
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310:Melbourne International Film Festival
267:as Ross, a sixty-five year old farmer
131:Herringbone Productions, Stella Maria
59:Orlando Stewart, Catherine Fitzgerald
938:Films about fatherâson relationships
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725:Brady-Brown, Annabel (2 July 2020).
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270:Cohen Holloway as Bruce - Ross's son
16:2018 film directed by Hamish Bennett
943:English-language comedy-drama films
516:Tuckett, Graeme (6 November 2019).
324:The film received glowing reviews.
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948:English-language independent films
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755:Ward, SaraSarah (19 June 2019).
695:Rodger, Kate (2 November 2019).
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450:Adams, Tim (10 December 2019).
308:, and was also screened at the
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332:praised the film saying that "
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903:New Zealand independent films
616:. 25 May 2022. Archived from
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218:film written and directed by
868:2010 directorial debut films
863:2010s English-language films
400:(Antipodean Film Festival).
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238:is Bennett's feature debut.
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670:Hamish Bennett New Zealand"
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304:The film premiered at the
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918:New Zealand romance films
913:Films shot in New Zealand
883:Films about mental health
452:"'Bellbird': Film Review"
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923:New Zealand drama films
878:2010s New Zealand films
858:2019 comedy-drama films
257:
933:2019 independent films
492:The New Zealand Herald
376:In a positive review,
359:The New Zealand Herald
329:The Hollywood Reporter
893:Films about widowhood
291:Kip Chapman as Graeme
873:MÄori-language films
727:"New Zealand comedy
306:Sydney Film Festival
483:"New rural dramedy
888:Films about autism
590:. 11 December 2019
561:Hollywood Reporter
294:Bree Peters as Ana
140:Transmission Films
421:"Bellbird (2019)"
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83:Kahukura Retimana
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620:on 25 May 2022
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556:: Film Review"
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137:Distributed by
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644:Nzfilm.co.nz
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618:the original
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252:Saint Tropez
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169:Running time
146:Release date
79:Rachel House
18:
795:28 February
770:30 November
740:30 November
710:30 November
680:30 November
650:30 November
624:30 November
594:30 November
568:30 November
531:30 November
526:Stuff.co.nz
498:30 November
463:30 November
384:ScreenDaily
340:Stuff.co.nz
210:New Zealand
118:Karl Steven
56:Produced by
38:Directed by
853:2019 films
847:Categories
827:Press Kit"
735:Abc.net.au
404:References
208:is a 2019
194:Box office
173:96 minutes
124:Production
697:"Review:
362:stated: "
320:Reception
197:$ 421,494
126:companies
107:Edited by
833:Bellbird
825:Bellbird
759:Bellbird
729:Bellbird
699:Bellbird
674:Miff.com
668:Bellbird
554:Bellbird
520:Bellbird
485:Bellbird
378:ABC Arts
364:Bellbird
345:Bellbird
343:wrote: "
334:Bellbird
314:Bellbird
236:Bellbird
205:Bellbird
186:Language
115:Music by
64:Starring
24:Bellbird
705:Newshub
457:Variety
430:22 July
369:Newshub
353:Variety
300:Release
189:English
178:Country
155: (
676:. 2019
392:Awards
216:comedy
244:Macao
213:drama
797:2024
772:2023
742:2023
712:2023
682:2023
652:2023
626:2023
596:2023
570:2023
533:2023
500:2023
465:2023
432:2019
258:Cast
230:and
157:2019
153:2019
836:at
250:in
849::
788:.
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558:.
541:^
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181:NZ
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
