Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2021 Opening night film revealed

Opening our 2021 festival with Dame Jane Campion’s extraordinary new film The Power of the Dog so soon after its rapturous reception on the world stage at Venice Film Festival is a dream come true. Jane Campion is an incomparable storyteller, and this landmark film sees her working at the height of her powers.

It’s an honour to share Jane’s film with its complex characters so profoundly embedded and framed in the stark beauty of Aotearoa. The reflection of our own history in the rugged brutality of American frontier life depicted in the film will be inescapable to our Kiwi audiences.

It’s taken months of careful negotiation with the support of the New Zealand Film Commission, Dame Jane Campion herself and the kind agreement of Netflix and Transmission films to secure The Power of the Dog for our opening night. We know it will be the red-hot, must-have ticket when we go on sale in October and we’re grateful to all who’ve helped make this happen.

THE POWER OF THE DOG

Dir: Jane Campion

Based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage, two sons, edging into their 40s and unmarried, run the family’s successful cattle ranch. A long-established routine is disrupted when gentlemanly brother George unexpectedly brings home new wife Rose and her studious son Peter. Rough-hewn, toxically male brother Phil Burbank lashes out relentlessly, tormenting mother and son as unwelcome interlopers.

The Power of the Dog is brought to life with a star-studded line-up including Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee as well as Kiwi actress, Thomasin McKenzie. 

The film premiered at Venice International Film Festival earlier this month and just last weekend, Jane picked up the Silver Lion award for Best Director.

Made for Netflix with additional financial support from the New Zealand Film Commission, The Power of the Dog was shot entirely at South Island locations in 2020.