"Hobbit" Director to Help Local Filmmakers
PRESS RELEASE – Thursday, 22nd October 2009
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Click to enlarge Guillermo Del Toro
Oscar-winner Guillermo Del Toro may
be a big guy in Hollywood circles but the director of The
Hobbit is only too happy to help some of the local film
industry’s “little guys”. He has pledged his name and
support to a Q&A fundraising event for Wellington producer
Bonnie Slater and director Sam Kelly’s first feature film,
One for the Road. Billed as New Zealand’s first musical
drama, it’s slated to shoot early next year and follows
the fortunes of a struggling, small town
band.
“We're thrilled to have Guillermo’s
support,” Slater says. “He has not done any event of
this kind in New Zealand before and it’s a coup to have
attracted him to headline our fundraiser and help promote
our cause. “I would have asked Guillermo to help make the
film, but I know he’s overworked with projects abroad and,
of course, that little low-budget film he’s shooting here
soon called The Hobbit!”
“I’ve been pretty busy
with various projects,” Del Toro acknowledges, “but
talent lies in your choices. And I believe in Bonnie so
I’m happy to help her where I can.”
Director
Jonathan King, whose second feature, Under the Mountain,
opens in NZ on December 10, will host An Evening With
Guillermo Del Toro at the Paramount Theatre on November 11.
“Jonathan is a talented director in his own right and
we’re privileged to have him on board to facilitate the
discussion,” Slater says. Audience members can submit
questions for the Q&A format when booking tickets and also
ask questions of Guillermo on the night.
Sam Kelly,
the 2008 Spada New Film-maker of the Year, will direct One
for the Road; and Angela Littlejohn (Separation City) and
Kerry Robins (Second Hand Wedding) will exec produce. The
film stars Cohen Holloway, who was awarded Best Actor at
this year’s Qantas Film & TV Awards for his portrayal of
David Dougherty in the telefeature Until Proven Innocent and
next will be seen in Taika Waititi’s new film, Boy.
One for the Road is based on the successful stage
musical It’s A Whanau Thing, by Jamie McCaskill and Kelly
Kilgour. “It’s very much art imitating life, life
imitating art,” Slater says. “The actors in the stage
production continue to play on as the band Smokey Feel in
the real world and will continue to do so in the world of
the film. And they’re awesome.”
While the
fundraiser is designed to offer the production extra cash,
investors will still be needed “to hit the right notes,”
Slater says. “We’ve raised about a third of the budget
through private investment and grants. Hopefully anyone
wishing to talk further to us about it will be able to touch
base with us at the fundraiser.” Anyone unable to attend
the fundraiser but wishes to express an interest, can
contact Bonnie Slater at producer@paradise.net.nz .
Tickets to An
Evening with Guillermo Del Toro are now on sale through the
Paramount Theatre in Courtenay
Place.
ENDS