''Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill'' is a documentary about the history of New Zealand cinema written by

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

and co-directed by Neill and Judy Rymer. The film was released in 1995, and was

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

's contribution to the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

's ''Century of Cinema'' series. The title refers to the dark and brooding nature of many of New Zealand's most notable films, which Neill considers a reflection of the nation's struggle to find, or form, its own identity. The film screened in the

1995 Cannes Film Festival The 48th Cannes Film Festival was held from 17 to 28 May 1995. The Palme d'Or went to '' Underground'' by Emir Kusturica. The festival opened with ''La Cité des enfants perdus'', directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and closed with '' The Quick and t ...

, and won Best Documentary in the 1996 ''TV Guide'' Film and Television Awards of New Zealand.

Filmography

The following films are featured and discussed in the documentary: * '' The Te Kooti Trail'' (1927) * ''

One Hundred Crowded Years ''One Hundred Crowded Years'' is a 1940 New Zealand historical documentary film. It was produced by the government film studios at Miramar for the centenary of New Zealand. Cinemas agreed to air the film without charge to the government, and t ...

'' (1940) * ''

Country Lads ''Country Lads'' is a 1941 New Zealand patriotic propaganda film. It was produced by the National Film Unit for the New Zealand war effort. Synopsis Adolf Hitler had referred to New Zealand soldiers as "poor, deluded country lads". ''Country L ...

'' (1941) * '' Journey for Three'' (1950) * ''

Broken Barrier ''Broken Barrier'' is a 1952 New Zealand film. It was directed and produced by John O'Shea (director) and Roger Mirams, and written by O'Shea. It starred Kay Ngarimu and Terence Bayler, and also featured Myra Hapi Smith, Bill Merito and George ...

'' (1952) * ''

Reach for the Sky ''Reach for the Sky'' is a 1956 British biographical film about aviator Douglas Bader, based on the 1954 biography of the same name by Paul Brickhill. The film stars Kenneth More and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. It won the BAFTA Award for Bes ...

'' (1956) * ''

The Roy Rogers Show ''The Roy Rogers Show'' is an American western television series starring Roy Rogers. 100 episodes were broadcast on NBC for six seasons between December 30, 1951 and June 9, 1957. The episodes were set in the prevailing times (1950s) in the st ...

'' (1956) * ''Runaway'' (1964) * ''

Wayleggo ''Wayleggo'' is a 1965 New Zealand short film. It was produced by the National Film Unit. The film was based on the 1947 musterer memoir ''Wayleggo'' written by Peter Newton. Synopsis Showing the working life of a young musterer on a 145,000 ac ...

'' (1965) * ''

Don't Let It Get You ''Don't Let It Get You'' is a film made in New Zealand and Sydney, Australia in 1966. It is notable for the period it was made in as well as the popular musical acts that featured in it. Sir Howard Morrison, Eddie Low, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and He ...

'' (1966) * ''

The Soldierboys ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...

'' (1967) * ''

This is New Zealand This may refer to: * ''This'', the singular proximal demonstrative pronoun Places * This, or ''Thinis'', an ancient city in Upper Egypt * This, Ardennes, a commune in France People with the surname * Hervé This, French culinary chemist Arts, ...

'' (1970) * ''

The Seal Hunters ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in E ...

'' (1973) * ''Sleeping Dogs'' (1977) * ''Beyond Reasonable Doubt'' (1980) * ''Bad Blood'' (1981) * '' Goodbye Pork Pie'' (1981) * ''Carry Me Back'' (1982) * ''The Scarecrow'' (1982) * ''

Smash Palace ''Smash Palace'' is a New Zealand feature film that premiered at Cannes in May 1981 and was released theatrically in April 1982. The film chronicles a former race car driver (played by Bruno Lawrence) who inadvertently contributes to the end of ...

'' (1982) * ''

Patu! ''Patu!'' is a 1983 New Zealand documentary film directed by Merata Mita about the controversial 1981 Springbok tour. It follows the inner workings of the campaign against the tour, and captures scenes of violent conflict between police and prote ...

'' (1983) * ''Utu'' (1983) * ''Vigil'' (1984) * '' Came a Hot Friday'' (1985) * ''The Lost Tribe'' (1985) * ''The Quiet Earth'' (1986) * ''

Bad Taste ''Bad Taste'' is a 1987 New Zealand Science fiction film, science-fiction comedy horror film directed, produced and filmed by Peter Jackson, who also stars in and co-wrote the screenplay, along with Tony Hiles and Ken Hammon. Independent film ...

'' (1987) * ''The Navigator'' (1988) * ''

An Angel at My Table ''An Angel at My Table'' is a 1990 biographical drama film directed by Jane Campion. The film is based on Janet Frame's three autobiographies, ''To the Is-Land'' (1982), ''An Angel at My Table'' (1984), and ''The Envoy from Mirror City'' (1984) ...

'' (1990) * ''Braindead'' (1992) * ''Bread and Roses'' (1993) * ''Desperate Remedies'' (1993) * '' The Piano'' (1993) * ''Jack Be Nimble'' (1994) * ''

Heavenly Creatures ''Heavenly Creatures'' is a 1994 New Zealand biographical psychological drama film directed by Peter Jackson, from a screenplay he co-wrote with his partner, Fran Walsh, and starring Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey in their feature film debuts ...

'' (1994) * ''

Once Were Warriors ''Once Were Warriors'' is New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling first novel, published in 1990. It tells the story of an urban Māori family, the Hekes, and portrays the reality of domestic violence in New Zealand. It was the basis of a 199 ...

'' (1994) * ''

The Last Tattoo ''The Last Tattoo'' is a 1994 feature film set in World War II, Wellington, New Zealand. Plot During World War II Wellington, New Zealand has U.S. servicemen mingling with the local female population. In such circumstances Kelly Towne, a p ...

'' (1994)

References

External links

*
''Cinema of Unease''
at NZ On Screen (includes a 12-minute excerpt) 1995 films Documentary films about the film industry New Zealand documentary films 1990s in New Zealand cinema 1990s New Zealand films 1990s English-language films {{NewZealand-film-stub