With How Far is Heaven husband and wife filmmakers Chris Pryor and Miriam Smith showed the nation that heartland documentaries can still warm your soul; and it looks like they have another hit on their hands with their grassroots rugby doco The Ground We Won.
Shot in Reporoa (halfway between Rotorua and Taupo) in gorgeous black and white, the film follows the highs and lows of a local rugby team comprised of farmers – two iconic symbols of New Zealand life.
The official synopsis reads: With great bawdiness and backbone, a rugby team made up of farmers strive to redeem themselves from a long run of bitter loses. In the face of the hefty demands of farming and fatherhood, the Saturday game becomes the focus of the men’s passions and the ground on which their worth is proved.
Check out the trailer to see why the New Zealand International Film Festival has snapped up this film for its Autumn Events season, including the World Premiere on 18 April, ahead of the film’s nationwide opening on 7 May.
Despite being a very different slice of heartland New Zealand, Prior and Smith have once again perfectly captured the essence of rural life; and the passion, camaraderie and pride associated with our national pastime are on full display.
How could you not fall in love with this film? Even those totally over the year-round rugby onslaught will be won over.
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With great bawdiness and backbone, a rugby team made up of farmers strive to redeem themselves from a long run of bitter loses. In the face of the hefty demands of farming and fatherhood, the Saturday game becomes the focus of the men’s passions and the ground on which their worth is proved.
Directed by Chris Pryor & Miriam Smith, the film features Peanut, Slug, Socks, Sticks, Turbo, Horse, Grease, Robo, Smiley, Prince Harry, Pom, Mr Ireland, Steady, and Battleship.
The Ground We Won open nationwide on 7 May, 2015.
