Stephen Papps

Stephen Papps won a NZ Film Award for one of his earliest screen appearances, after playing Firpo, the child-like dreamer who befriends the hero, in the movie of Bruce Mason classic The End of the Golden Weather. In 2008 he was nominated again for Russian Snark — starring as a frustrated Russian filmmaker trying to relaunch his career in NZ. Papps’ short film appearances include awardwinners Possum and Lemming Aid.

The improbable story improbably gets under your skin, thanks to a charmingly eccentric performance by the lanky Papps .. Papps speaks a good proportion of his lines in Russian and gives a fine impression of a native speaker. Peter Calder on Russian Snark, NZ Herald, 18 June 2011