Best Kiwi war movies
A curated collection of popular war movies from New Zealand.
Twilight of the Gods (1996)
Twilight of the Gods (1996)
A Maori warrior comes upon the aftermath of a battle to find that the only survivor is a wounded enemy soldier. His wishes to avenge his fallen countrymen by finishing off this helpless enemy but the gods won't allow it (as conveyed to him through a spirit bird). Anguished that he must instead treat the soldier's wounds, he's further repelled by the soldier's incessant homosexual advances. Slowly and surprisingly, a change comes over the warrior to accept the soldier's advances, but the war all too soon intrudes upon them.
Falling Sparrows (2000)
Falling Sparrows (2000)
A high action war film with a twist. Shoot outs, stand-offs and heroics aplenty -- the difference being it's young kids not adult soldiers taking part.
Bread & Roses (1993)
Bread & Roses (1993)
Based upon the life of activist and trade unionist (and later MP) Sonja Davies. The film covers her life up to 1956, when, at age 33, she was elected to the Nelson Hospital Board. During this period she develops strong socialist beliefs, marries and divorces, at age 17 trains as a nurse, has a romance (and a child) with an American marine who is killed in WWII action. She battles tuberculosis and marries a former boyfriend when he returns from the war. She becomes part of a women's ill-fated campaign to save the Nelson railway line from closure and begins to be elected to political bodies.