The Silent One

Based on Joy Cowley's book, this award-winning children's drama follows the friendship between Jonasi, a deaf mute boy, and a rare white turtle. Jonasi lives in a Pacific Island village. When a drought occurs, the boy and the turtle are blamed and ostracised. Shot largely in Raratonga, this was the first New Zealand movie directed solely by a woman (Yvonne Mackay). Among those playing villagers are Utu star Zac Wallace, George Henare and Pākehā actor Pat Evison. Jenny McLeod's eclectic soundtrack won an NZ Music Award. In this excerpt, Jonasi is excluded from a boar hunt, and first meets the turtle.