When Love Comes

When Love Comes features Rena Owen as a once were famous singing star who returns to New Zealand, in need of reinvention. Staying with a gay friend (Simon Prast from Gloss), she is reenergised after meeting a wastral songwriter (Dean O'Gorman) and two loved up young musicians (Sophia Hawthorne and Nancy Brunning, the former in her big screen debut). Invited to a slew of North American festivals — including Sundance and Toronto — Garth Maxwell's sun and song-lashed tale won praise stateside for its acting and "energetic direction" (The Hollywood Reporter).

When Love Comes is a lot like its partly pop, partly grunge score: A little raucous about the edges but soft and sentimental at the core. Go-for-broke performances by Rena Owen and fast-tracked Dean O’Gorman, add up to some blistering exchanges...

– Reviewer Glenn Lovell in Variety, 22 February 1999

Key Cast & Crew

Garth Maxwell

Director, Writer

Sophia Hawthorne

As: Sally

Rena Owen

As: Katie Keen

Jonathan Dowling

Producer

Michele Fantl

Producer

Rex Pilgrim

Writer