Trial Run

Rosemary (Annie Whittle) is a photographer, mum and middle-distance runner. Based in a remote Otago cottage, photographing yellow-eyed penguins for a book project, she faces menacing events. But she refuses to be intimidated. Then things escalate, sending her running for help in the race of her life. Bird-watching, stranger danger and feminist film theory line up for a time trial in Melanie Rodriga's first feature. Twenty of the 29-strong production crew were women. In this excerpt, Rosemary encounters hostile neighbours, and is comforted by a friend (Judith Gibson). Marathoner Allison Roe trained Whittle, and had a cameo role.