Elgar's Enigma
Near the end of his life, renowned English composer Edward Elgar composed some of the greatest music of his career. This film examines the idea that Elgar's deeply emotional Cello Concerto in E Minor was provoked by memories of his first great love, Helen Weaver, who emigrated downunder after their relationship ended. After learning that Weaver's son had been killed fighting in France, Elgar was moved to write a war requiem. The award-nominated film mixed interviews, dramatisations, and a performance of the concerto by cellist Lynn Harrell and the NZ Symphony Orchestra.
Irene Wood
Irene Wood was showing her versatility from the early days of Kiwi television: by 1968 she had already been on screen presenting children's shows, singing, and playing Katherine Mansfield in TV play The White Gardenia. Since then Wood has acted in murder mystery Slipknot, Shortland Street, movie Rest for the Wicked, and won fans after playing Nan for five seasons of Go Girls.
Nyree Dawn Porter
From humble beginnings as a stage actor in New Zealand in the 1950s, Nyree Dawn Porter achieved international success via British television. As one of the stars of 1967's The Forsyte Saga, she was seen by over 100 million people worldwide. Following the show’s mammoth success, she was awarded an OBE in 1970 for services to television.