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 Broken Barrier
 Don't Let it Get You
 Utu
 Hanlon - In Defence of Minnie Dean
 The New Zealand Wars

Synopsis

This fictionalised account of pioneering 19th century photographers the Burton brothers is set in early Dunedin during the closing stages of the New Zealand Wars. William and Alfred take contrasting approaches to representing their subjects — and are treated accordingly by the authorities, who are attempting to attract new settlers while brutally suppressing Māori. Produced by veteran filmmaker John O'Shea (who co-wrote with playwright Robert Lord), the tale of art, commerce and colonisation was largely well received as a thoughtful essay at revisionist history. 

Credits (22)

 Michael Black

Michael Black
Director

 John O'Shea

John O'Shea
Writer, Producer

 Robert Lord

Robert Lord
Writer

See all credits ›

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Produced by

Pacific Films

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Related Titles (7)

 Broken Barrier

Broken Barrier

Film, 1952 (Trailer)

Another John O'Shea film with bi-cultural themes

 The New Zealand Wars

The New Zealand Wars

Television, 1998 (Excerpts)

A series on the New Zealand Wars, presented by James Belich

 Ans Westra - Private Journeys / Public Signposts

Ans Westra - Private Journeys / Public Signposts

Television, 2006 (Excerpts)

A doco on another photographer whose photos of Māori found controversy

 Utu

Utu

Film, 1983 (Trailer and Excerpts)

Another film set during the New Zealand Wars

 Sedition

Sedition

Film, 2005 (Full Length)

Censorship during another war

 Hanlon - In Defence of Minnie Dean

Hanlon - In Defence of Minnie Dean

Television, 1985 (Full Length Episode)

Another drama set in 19th century Otago

 Don't Let it Get You

Don't Let it Get You

Film, 1966 (Full Length)

Another John O’Shea production

Quotes

Another photographer. By royal appointment, I see. Rather different from your brother. He came up north with me and took a lot of photos of Maoris in the mud. 

– Railways surveyor John Rochfort (Terrence Bayler)

The reassessment of history is never an easy task, especially a history as clouded with noble self-deception as the colonisation of New Zealand. All credit, then, to Pictures, for tackling the subject, and for bringing to its reassessment a remarkable clarity and a considerable complexity of perspective. 

– Nick Roddick in the Monthly Film Bulletin, October 1982

The theatricality builds up an excellent sense of European staginess — of just how unreal, in a way, British civilization must have been, planted out here. The magnificent shot of Dunedin Railway Station is the same: on film it becomes the statement it originally was — of power, endurance, economic assertion. It spells out in words of granite: We Are Here to Stay. It is in this sense of carefully chosen images that Pictures succeeds. It manages to build up a coherent sense of a society, and uses the framework of photography to ask questions about early New Zealand. All credit then 

– Peter Wells, Listener review, 18 June 1983

Awards

1981 Moscow Film Festival
Press Award for Humanism

1982 Asian Film Festival
Best Music, Best Editing