Gerard Smyth's acclaimed documentary about the Christchurch earthquakes is the story of people coping — for better or worse — with the huge physical and emotional toll that the quakes, and continuing aftershocks, inflicted on them, their homes and their city. It began as a home movie while the devastation of September was surveyed (with thanks given that no-one had been killed); but, as shooting of the recovery continued, the February quake compounded the destruction and claimed 182 lives (including their researcher and 16 colleagues at CTV).
At times the film captures very raw emotions and I have no doubt many people will find it moving. But we also aimed to show how the human spirit has triumphed over terrible adversity, and I'm sure people will walk away, having seen the film, with a sense of hope for the future of our city.– Producer Alice Shannon
Funding from the NZ Film Commission and NZ On Air
Closing credits track 'Rise and Fall', by Nadia Reid (from the album Letters I Wrote and Never Sent)
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