Sylvia

Michael Firth's movie follows educator Sylvia Ashton-Warner as she forges her philosophy of “organic teaching” while teaching Māori children at an isolated school in the 1940s. Taking in romance and struggle, the drama was widely praised: Village Voice named it one of 1985's 10 best films, while Andrew Sarris found “the intensely interacting performances" of the four principals "nothing short of breathtaking”.  The film is based on Ashton-Warner’s books Teacher and I Passed This Way. British actor Eleanor David plays Sylvia; the supporting cast includes BAFTA winner Tom Wilkinson. Kiwi Mary Regan won a GOFTA award.