Antarctica A Year on Ice director talks his film

Antarctica: A Year on Ice director talks his film

I caught up with Anthony Powell, director of Antarctica A Year on Ice to ask a few questions about the doco screening this weekend at Auckland's mighty Civic.

Tell us about your film. Where did the idea come from?
Living a unique experience in Antarctica, that had never been put on film before, and wanting to share it.

When did you begin shooting and did it all go according to plan?
Progressively shooting for a couple of years before deciding that yes, I definitely had something unique that was worth pursuing. It took several years of additional shooting and lots of broken cameras to get the main footage done.

Did you know when you had everything you needed for your film or did you eventually just reach a point where you said to yourself ‘I have to stop shooting now’? I can imagine that must be one of the challenges of making a documentary, knowing when you have an ending.
I knew I had enough when I stopped shooting. There are definitely a couple of extra pickup shots that could have helped a bit after the first edit pass, but that would have required another year in Antarctica to achieve.

What’s it like to be here with the film at the New Zealand International Film Festival?
The end of a very long journey, but the start of a new one.

What’s the best reaction you’ve had to one of your films from an audience member?
“Jaw dropping”    “Wow, incredible”   “Just amazing, I had no idea” -It usually causes a couple of teary-eyed moments for the women viewers...

Conversely, what’s been the worst?
“I quite liked it”

What’s next for you?
A collaborative film that covers all seven continents