Fantail

Directed by : Curtis Vowell
Written by : Sophie Henderson

Starting its life as a one-woman stage-play, Fantail tells the story of a woman caught between two cultures. Tania, blonde and blue-eyed, regards herself as Maori. Her boss at the gas station where she works looks Maori, but has been thoroughly ‘pakeha’d’, something Tania takes great glee in hassling him about. Desperate to take her little brother Piwakawaka (Fantail) to visit their father in Australia, Tania works the nightshift. But when Pi moves to Hawkes Bay to take up a fruit-picking job, his life begins spiralling out of control. Full of touching moments and gentle laughs, Fantail offers a realistic snapshot of South Auckland as the same time as telling a compelling and universal story.

“Fantail stole my heart” - The Dominion Post

“One of the freshest NZ films to come along in years” - New Zealand Herald

Fantail premiered at the New Zealand International Film Festival in July 2013, later earning eight nominations at the 2013 New Zealand Film Awards. The International Film Festival Rotterdam hosted Fantail for its international premiere to sold out screenings and critical acclaim.