Throughout his 50 year career, John O’Shea was a pioneer and a champion of the independent New Zealand film industry. His name was synonymous with Pacific Film Productions Ltd. O’Shea was involved in the establishment of the New Zealand Film Commission, the New Zealand Film Archive and the Wellington Film Society.
His tenacity, idealism, literacy and creativity, his formidable and subversive wit, his generosity and kindness have encouraged and guided the film-making here for 50 years. He was our history.
– Jonathan Dennis, Spada 2001