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 Under the Mountain - The Alien World Below
 The Fire-Raiser - Kitty Plays the Piano (Episode Three)
 User Friendly
 Heartland, Living in the Maniototo
 Pacific 3-2-1-Zero

Synopsis

When his father dies, Paul, a world-weary war journalist, returns to his Central Otago hometown. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young girl. Their relationship is frowned upon by and when she disappears, the community holds him responsible. The events that follow force Paul to confront a tragic incident he fled as a youth, and to face dark adult secrets. In My Father's Den marked the debut of a formidable fledgling talent. It was tragically also the last feature for writer-director Brad McGann, who died of cancer in 2007.

Background

A perspective by Richard King 22.08.2008

After their collaboration on the short film Possum (1997), producer Trevor Haysom felt Brad McGann had the right sensibility to write a screen adaptation of Maurice Gee's novel In My Father's Den. McGann was initially unsure ...

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Credits (21)

 Brad McGann

Brad McGann
Director, Writer

 Dixie Linder

Dixie Linder
Producer

 Trevor Haysom

Trevor Haysom
Producer

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Comments (1)

 Darian Zam

Darian Zam

Posted at 04.11PM - 04.03.2011

I didn't see this until five years after it was released, but it quickly became my favourite film to come out of New Zealand in the last decade.

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Related Titles (10)

 Possum

Possum

Short Film, 1997 (Full Length)

Brad McGann's acclaimed short film

 Under the Mountain - The Alien World Below

Under the Mountain - The Alien World Below

Television, 1981 (Full Length Episode)

Another Maurice Gee adaptation

 Fracture

Fracture

Film, 2004 (Trailer and Excerpts)

Another adaptation of a Maurice Gee novel

 For Good

For Good

Film, 2003 (Trailer and Excerpts)

Another drama involving the after-effects of violent crime

 Love Birds

Love Birds

Film, 2011 (Trailer, Excerpts, and Extras)

More of actor Emily Barclay

 The Fire-Raiser - Kitty Plays the Piano (Episode Three)

The Fire-Raiser - Kitty Plays the Piano (Episode Three)

Television, 1986 (Full Length Episode)

Written by Maurice Gee

 Pacific 3-2-1-Zero

Pacific 3-2-1-Zero

Television, 1993 (Full Length)

Also produced by Trevor Haysom

 Heartland, Living in the Maniototo

Heartland, Living in the Maniototo

Television, 1993 (Excerpts)

More central Otago landscapes

 User Friendly

User Friendly

Film, 1990 (Excerpts)

Also produced by Trevor Haysom

 Boy

Boy

Short Film, 2004 (Full Length)

A short film about small town oppression

Collections.   See all collections ›  

Included in:

 NZ Book Month Collection

NZ Book Month Collection

Curated by NZ On Screen Team
Added 04 March 2011

Quotes

Beautifully filmed and totally absorbing mystery about family secrets. 

– Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter review, 5 July 2005

Brad McGann’s brilliant, involving and ultimately devastating version of In My Father’s Den is that rare type of adaptation: one that doesn’t just successfully translate a great book (although that’s rare enough), but just as successfully updates it and refreshes it, finding new ways into its difficult emotions, amplifying and renewing its themes. [...] His film is one seriously impressive achievement. 

– Philip Matthews, Listener review, 9 October 2004

But then I had a dream that prompted me to think about it in another way, something that could be set in a different location and based in contemporary times. It meant making some integral changes and taking a different approach. 

– Brad McGann, on changing the time and setting from Gee's novel (2004 Onfilm interview)

Awards

2005 New Zealand Screen Awards
Best Film
Director: Brad McGann
Screenplay: Brad McGann
Actor: Matthew MacFadyen
Actress: Emily Barclay
Supporting Actor: Colin Moy
Supporting Actress: Jodie Rimmer
Cinematography: Stuart Dryburgh
Editing: Chris Plummer
Contribution to a Soundtrack: Richard Flynn, Chris Burt and Gethin Greagh

Nominated for Original Music (Simon Boswell)

2005 British Independent Film Awards
Best Actor: Matthew McFadyen
Most Promising Newcomer: Emily Barclay