Chinese Whispers

Short Film (Full Length) – 1996

This short film follows Vincent (Leighton Phair), a young Chinese-Kiwi rescued from a group of racist punks in a spacies parlour by a mysterious Asian (Gary Young), then drawn into a seedy Triad underworld. Vincent is struggling with his identity in a mixed race family. Directors Stuart McKenzie and Neil Pardington wrote the story with playwright Lynda Chanwai-Earle, drawing it from interviews with members of the Chinese community in Wellington and Christchurch. Early 90s Flying Nun bands feature on the score; DJ Mu (future Fat Freddys Drop frontman) cameos as a punk.

Vincent is ashamed to be Chinese.
– Vincent's Dad David (Shane Wong) provokes his son

Key Cast & Crew

Leighton Phair

As: Vincent Chan

Stuart McKenzie

Director, Writer, Producer

Neil Pardington

Director, Writer, Producer

Tommy Honey

As: Video Parlour Manager

Roy Ward

As: Weed (the bogan)

Tracey Arnold

As: Kirsty (the bogan)

See all 27 credits

Produced by

MAP Film Productions

Source

New Zealand Film Commission

Acknowledgements

Police car and driver courtesy of the NZ Police who wish to show their support for the NZ Chinese community

Music

Original music composed by Andrew Thomas

Soundtrack includes 'I Believe in You' written and performed by The Jean Paul Sartre Experience, 'The Centre of Things' (Chris Heazlewood, Loser) performed by King Loser, 'Nose' (Chris Matthews) performed by Headless Chickens, and an excerpt from the opera based on The Dream of the Red Chamber