Penny Black

Billed as "an unusual mix of realism and absurdity", Penny Black follows a materialistic supermodel (Astra McLaren) who is forced to become guardian to her superhero-obsessed sister. When the two set out from Auckland for Wellington so Penny Black can try to win back her modelling contract, they meet an anarchist who offers them a whole new angle on what really matters. Partly crowdfunded, partly improvised on location across the North Island, the chalk and cheese tale marked the big screen debut of Joe Hitchcock, who based it partly on road trips he'd taken as a teen.   

...we didn't decide exact locations before the shoot, so backgrounds were influenced by our seemingly random detours, and supporting actors were found on the road wherever we stopped.

– Director and co-writer Joe Hitchcock

Key Cast & Crew

Joe Hitchcock

Director, Writer, Editor

Fiona Jackson

Writer, Producer, Art Director

Sash Nixon

As: Lapwing

Morgan Albrecht

As: Anita

Toni Garson

As: Alex

Astra McLaren

As: Penny Black