Tom Who? The Enigma of Tom Kreisler

Buenos Aires born Tom Kreisler arrived in New Zealand at age 13, studied painting at Canterbury University, taught art in New Plymouth, and spent time in Mexico. Shocked he wasn't "in the mainstream canon of New Zealand art", Shirley Horrocks (Marti: The Passionate Eye) felt that the whimsical, subversive but publicity-shy Kreisler deserved to be better known. So Horrocks interviewed fans and friends of the late artist for this 72 minute documentary, and headed to Mexico to find out how the country influenced him. Tom Who? debuted at the 2015 Auckland Film Festival.

Tom believed that great art did not have to be made or enjoyed in Paris or London. He passionately believed in art as an intellectual joy that occurred first in the mind, and was more interested in ideas than brushstrokes.

– Dita De Boni, in an NZ Herald obituary of Tom Kreisler, 12 April 2002

Key Cast & Crew

Shirley Horrocks

Director, Producer

Tony Green (producer)

Producer

Roger Horrocks

Writer, Research

Ron Egozi

Camera

Steven Mountjoy

Editor

Adrian Greshoff

Camera