Milk

For zero budget, it has very high production values and I’m forever grateful for all my cast and crew for achieving that. It goes to show how much talent and enthusiasm we have in our domestic film industry.

– Writer/director Celia Jaspers in The Sunday Star-Times, 27 June 2021

...the film became a self-fulfilling kindness prophecy — with crew offering help from as far afield as Auckland and Christchurch. A Martinborough cafe provided its setting, and local businesses offered support. Filming took place in spring of 2020 with Jaspers’ daughter, Charlotte — then eight — taking the starring role.

– Writer Kelly Dennett on the making of Milk, The Sunday Star-Times, 27 June 2021

There’s an immediate air of sweetness and innocence surrounding Milk, it blends the qualities of its leading young lady into the directorial style. Celia Jaspers uses a creative mix of angles and framing which feel tuned to the kindness, youth and imagination of its protagonist . . . Jaspers present a simple, loving and generous story of a small act of kindness. In today’s landscape, violent or emotionally intense cinema tends to take the forefront, so it’s a delightful change of pace to focus on the positive.”

– Website Film Carnage in a four star review, May 6 2022

My conscious style is bright and peppy. I don’t languish too long, and I like to tell the story efficiently and enjoyably for the audience. There’s nothing worse than a storyline you can see coming from a mile away, but it takes an eternity to get there!

– Writer/director Celia Jaspers on her directing style, Medium, 16 January 2021