A State of Siege

52m • Drama, Short • 1978

Karemoana was the final destination of Malfred Signal, retired teacher of drawing, whose life was dedicated to nursing her dying mother, and instructing generations of young girls in the art of accurately depicting shadows. But now her mother has died and Malfred feels free to break away and begin life anew.

She journeys up north and begins to settle in her idyllic island home, a little white cottage near the sea. She had looked forward to the feeling of aloneness, but her first long night in her new home is one of terror. There is a storm raging and an intruder pounding on her door…

Adapted from a novel by Janet Frame, Vincent Ward’s much acclaimed short was made while he was still a student at Ilam Art School.