The Mountain (2024 film): Difference between revisions
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==Production== |
==Production== |
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===Development and writing=== |
===Development and writing=== |
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''The Mountain''{{'s}} script was written by [[Tom Furniss]]. |
''The Mountain''{{'s}} script was co-written by [[Tom Furniss]] and [[Rachel House (actress)|Rachel House]]. The film also marked House's directorial debut.<ref name="Deadline">{{cite web |last1=Ntim |first1=Zac |title='The Mountain:' Production Wraps On Kiwi Family Drama Executive Produced By Taika Waititi |url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/the-mountain-taika-waititi-rachel-house-new-zealand-1235366630/ |website=[[Deadline (website)|Deadline]] |access-date=30 April 2024 |date=15 May 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> While Furniss' script did not name the mountain, House chose [[Mount Taranaki]] as the film setting, saying that she "thought it was a wonderful opportunity to try and explain how we feel about our [[maunga]] (mountains)." House explained that mountains were significant to Māori culture, describing them as "ancient living ancestors who have shaped and formed our identity, belonging and connection to each other."<ref name="1 News Premiere">{{cite news |last1=Robinson |first1=Carolyn |title=Premiere screening of The Mountain: 'The Maunga is the star' |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/21/premiere-screening-of-the-mountain-the-maunga-is-the-star/ |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=[[1 News]] |publisher=[[TVNZ]] |date=21 March 2024}}</ref> Mount Taranaki and the surrounding peaks are considered ancestors by eight local [[Māori people|Māori tribes]]. The mountain and its surrounding peaks were granted legal personhood in 2023 under the name ''Te Kāhui Tupua'' by the [[New Zealand Government]] as redress for their confiscation in [[1866]].<ref name="Deadline" /><ref name="The Spinoff 27 Mar 2024">{{cite news |last1=de Silva |first1=Tommy |title=Rachel House on first-time directing and the power of mounga |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/pop-culture/27-03-2024/rachel-house-on-first-time-directing-and-the-power-of-mounga |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=[[The Spinoff]] |date=27 March 2024}}</ref> |
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===Casting=== |
===Casting=== |
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The film featured the acting debuts of three child actors: Elizabeth Atkinson (Sam), Reuben Francis (Mallory) and Terence Daniel (Bronco).<ref name="1 News Premiere" /> |
The film featured the acting debuts of three child actors: Elizabeth Atkinson (Sam), Reuben Francis (Mallory) and Terence Daniel (Bronco).<ref name="1 News Premiere" /> House made the deliberate decision to cast 11 year old actors, stating during an interview with ''[[The Spinoff]]'' that it was the age "just before they were about to kind of move into being rangatahi (teenagers) while they still have their ability to believe in magic, for want of a better word." House and several cast and crew members including Francis and Atkinson came from the Taranaki region.<ref name="The Spinoff 27 Mar 2024" /> |
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Supporting cast members included [[Troy Kingi]], Bryan Coll, Sukena Shah and [[Fern Sutherland]].<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /><ref name="Film Commission" /> |
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===Filming=== |
===Filming=== |
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Filming took place on location at Mount Taranaki with support from the local [[Māori people|Māori]] [[iwi]] (tribe) [[Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika|Taranaki Whānui]].<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /><ref name="1 News Premiere" /> The film was produced by [[Piki Films]] and [[Sandy Lane Productions]]. Desray Armstrong and Morgan Waru served as producers while [[Carthew Neal]], [[Taika Waititi]] and Paul Wiegard served as executive producers.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> |
Filming took place on location at Mount Taranaki with support from the local [[Māori people|Māori]] [[iwi]] (tribe) [[Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika|Taranaki Whānui]].<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /><ref name="1 News Premiere" /> The film was produced by [[Piki Films]] and [[Sandy Lane Productions]]. Desray Armstrong and Morgan Waru served as producers while [[Carthew Neal]], [[Taika Waititi]] and Paul Wiegard served as executive producers.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> Filming lasted four weeks and concluded in mid-May 2023.<ref name="Deadline" /> |
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''The Mountain'' received funding from several entities including the [[New Zealand Film Commission]], the [[New Zealand Government]]'s Screen Production Grant, [[NZ On Air]], [[Whakaata Māori]], the Department of Post, Native Audio, Nude Run, |
''The Mountain'' received funding from several entities including the [[New Zealand Film Commission]], the [[New Zealand Government]]'s Screen Production Grant, [[NZ On Air]], [[Whakaata Māori]], the Department of Post, Native Audio, Nude Run, Hillfarrance and [[Kiwibank]].<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /><ref name="Deadline" /> |
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===Post-production=== |
===Post-production=== |
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Due to the clear conditions during filming, [[Wētā FX]] digitally inserted clouds into the film footage during post-production.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> |
Due to the clear conditions during filming, [[Wētā FX]] digitally inserted clouds into the film footage during post-production.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> [[Troy Kingi]] and Arli Liberman composed the film's soundtrack.<ref name="NZ On Screen" /> |
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==Release== |
==Release== |
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A full-length trailer of ''The Mountain'' was released on 8 February 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tearjerking new trailer for upcoming Kiwi movie The Mountain |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/508645/tearjerking-new-trailer-for-upcoming-kiwi-movie-the-mountain |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=8 February 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was also promoted by Taranaki's regional development agency Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki and the Taranaki Regional Film Office.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> |
A full-length trailer of ''The Mountain'' was released on 8 February 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tearjerking new trailer for upcoming Kiwi movie The Mountain |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/508645/tearjerking-new-trailer-for-upcoming-kiwi-movie-the-mountain |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=8 February 2024|url-status=live}}</ref> The film was also promoted by Taranaki's regional development agency Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki and the Taranaki Regional Film Office.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /><ref name="Stuff premiere">{{cite news |last1=Ockhuysen |first1=Stephanie |title=The Mountain brings glitz, glamour and a bit of red carpet to New Plymouth |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/culture/350219129/mountain-brings-glitz-glamour-and-bit-red-carpet-new-plymouth |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=[[Taranaki Daily News]] |publisher=[[Stuff (company)|Stuff]] |date=21 March 2024}}</ref> |
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''The Mountain'' held its international premiere at [[New Plymouth]]'s TSB Showplace on 19 March 2024. 800 people attended the premiere including local iwi [[Ngā Iwi o Taranaki]], [[Ngāti Te Whiti]], and [[Te Atiawa]]. Several cast and crew members including Rachel House, Terence Daniel, Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Troy Kingi, Sukena Shah and Desray Armstrong also attended the premiere.<ref |
''The Mountain'' held its international premiere at [[New Plymouth]]'s TSB Showplace on 19 March 2024. 800 people attended the premiere including local iwi [[Ngā Iwi o Taranaki]], [[Ngāti Te Whiti]], and [[Te Atiawa]]. Several cast and crew members including Rachel House, Terence Daniel, Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Troy Kingi, Sukena Shah and Desray Armstrong also attended the premiere.<ref name="Stuff premiere" /> |
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It was subsequently released in the rest of New Zealand on 28 March. Piki Films and [[Madman Entertainment]] handled the film's distribution in New Zealand and abroad respectively.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> |
It was subsequently released in the rest of New Zealand on 28 March. Piki Films and [[Madman Entertainment]] handled the film's distribution in New Zealand and abroad respectively.<ref name="RNZ 18 Jan 2024" /> |
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Revision as of 15:18, 30 April 2024
| The Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Rachel House[1] |
| Screenplay by | |
| Produced by | |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Matt Henley[1] |
| Edited by | Cushla Dillon[1] |
| Music by | Arli Liberman[1] |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Piki Films[2] Madman Entertainment[2] |
Release dates | 19 March 2024 (international)[2] 28 March 2024 (NZ)[2] |
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | NZ |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $325,718[3] |
The Mountain is a 2024 New Zealand comedy drama and coming of age film directed by Rachel House, based on a screenplay by House and Tom Furniss. The film is about a young girl named Sam seeking to reconnect with her Māori culture with the help of her friends Mallory and Bronco. The movie stars Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis and Terence Daniel.[4] The film held its world premiere at New Plymouth on 19 March 2024 and was released nationwide on 28 March.[2]
Synopsis
Sam, a fearless young girl raised outside of her Māori culture, is determined to fulfil her mission of connecting with her mountain in the hope they can heal her from the cancer she battles. Along the way she meets some misfits and new kids in town – Mallory, hoping to find friends, any kind of friends - and Bronco who claims to be a runaway from his dad who is too busy to notice him. As they make their way through the difficult “off the beaten track” route, they learn the true spirit of adventure and the magic of friendship.[4]
Cast
- Elizabeth Atkinson as Sam[4]
- Reuben Francis as Mallory[4]
- Terence Daniel as Bronco[4]
- Troy Kingi as Tux[4]
- Bryan Coll as Hugh[4]
- Fern Sutherland as Wendy[4]
- Sukena Shah as Peachy[4]
Production
Development and writing
The Mountain's script was co-written by Tom Furniss and Rachel House. The film also marked House's directorial debut.[5] While Furniss' script did not name the mountain, House chose Mount Taranaki as the film setting, saying that she "thought it was a wonderful opportunity to try and explain how we feel about our maunga (mountains)." House explained that mountains were significant to Māori culture, describing them as "ancient living ancestors who have shaped and formed our identity, belonging and connection to each other."[6] Mount Taranaki and the surrounding peaks are considered ancestors by eight local Māori tribes. The mountain and its surrounding peaks were granted legal personhood in 2023 under the name Te Kāhui Tupua by the New Zealand Government as redress for their confiscation in 1866.[5][7]
Casting
The film featured the acting debuts of three child actors: Elizabeth Atkinson (Sam), Reuben Francis (Mallory) and Terence Daniel (Bronco).[6] House made the deliberate decision to cast 11 year old actors, stating during an interview with The Spinoff that it was the age "just before they were about to kind of move into being rangatahi (teenagers) while they still have their ability to believe in magic, for want of a better word." House and several cast and crew members including Francis and Atkinson came from the Taranaki region.[7]
Supporting cast members included Troy Kingi, Bryan Coll, Sukena Shah and Fern Sutherland.[2][4]
Filming
Filming took place on location at Mount Taranaki with support from the local Māori iwi (tribe) Taranaki Whānui.[2][6] The film was produced by Piki Films and Sandy Lane Productions. Desray Armstrong and Morgan Waru served as producers while Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi and Paul Wiegard served as executive producers.[2] Filming lasted four weeks and concluded in mid-May 2023.[5]
The Mountain received funding from several entities including the New Zealand Film Commission, the New Zealand Government's Screen Production Grant, NZ On Air, Whakaata Māori, the Department of Post, Native Audio, Nude Run, Hillfarrance and Kiwibank.[2][5]
Post-production
Due to the clear conditions during filming, Wētā FX digitally inserted clouds into the film footage during post-production.[2] Troy Kingi and Arli Liberman composed the film's soundtrack.[1]
Release
A full-length trailer of The Mountain was released on 8 February 2024.[8] The film was also promoted by Taranaki's regional development agency Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki and the Taranaki Regional Film Office.[2][9]
The Mountain held its international premiere at New Plymouth's TSB Showplace on 19 March 2024. 800 people attended the premiere including local iwi Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, Ngāti Te Whiti, and Te Atiawa. Several cast and crew members including Rachel House, Terence Daniel, Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Troy Kingi, Sukena Shah and Desray Armstrong also attended the premiere.[9]
It was subsequently released in the rest of New Zealand on 28 March. Piki Films and Madman Entertainment handled the film's distribution in New Zealand and abroad respectively.[2]
Critical reception
Liam Maguren of Flicks gave a positive review, praising Rachel House for "crafting a distinctly New Zealand film centred on kids that young audiences can latch onto while also telling a story with enough substance to affect anyone of any age." He also praised the performances of Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Terence Daniel, Sukena Shah, Fern Sutherland, Bryan Coll and Troy Kingi. Maguren was critical of the lack of danger and stakes in a film marketed as an adventure film. He praised Matt Henley's cinematography for capturing the scenic beauty of Mount Taranaki.[10]
Carol J. Paewai of Hawke's Bay Today gave a positive review, descibing The Mountain as "a funny, moving and thought-provoking New Zealand film that showcases up-and-coming actors." She also praised the film for highlighting the relationship between Māori people and the natural world using a coming-of-age story format.[11]
references
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "The Mountain". NZ On Screen. New Zealand On Air. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "World premiere of The Mountain to be held in Taranaki". RNZ. 18 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Box Office Mojo: The Mountain - Weekend Ranking". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Mountain". New Zealand Film Commission. Archived from the original on 19 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ a b c d Ntim, Zac (15 May 2023). "'The Mountain:' Production Wraps On Kiwi Family Drama Executive Produced By Taika Waititi". Deadline. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Robinson, Carolyn (21 March 2024). "Premiere screening of The Mountain: 'The Maunga is the star'". 1 News. TVNZ. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ a b de Silva, Tommy (27 March 2024). "Rachel House on first-time directing and the power of mounga". The Spinoff. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Tearjerking new trailer for upcoming Kiwi movie The Mountain". Radio New Zealand. 8 February 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Ockhuysen, Stephanie (21 March 2024). "The Mountain brings glitz, glamour and a bit of red carpet to New Plymouth". Taranaki Daily News. Stuff. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ Maguren, Liam (26 March 2024). "The Mountain is an incredibly rare kind of kids film". Flicks. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ Paewai, Carol (8 April 2024). "Review: The Mountain - Young Kiwis' connection to their maunga". Hawke's Bay Today. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
