Pillsbury Returns To NZ To Film "Crooked Earth"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 May 2000

ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR SAM PILLSBURY RETURNS TO NEW ZEALAND TO FILM "CROOKED EARTH" STARRING TEMUERA MORRISON & LAWRENCE MAKOARE

The much anticipated New Zealand drama "CROOKED EARTH", which reunites "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" stars TEMUERA MORRISON, LAWRENCE MAKOARE and NANCY BRUNNING, will begin filming in New Zealand on 19th April, with internationally respected director SAM PILLSBURY ("Morgan's Ferry"; Free Willy 3") at the helm.

To be filmed over eight weeks on locations around Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula, "CROOKED EARTH" is produced by ROBIN SCHOLES, producer of the award-winning box office smash "Once Were Warriors", which launched Morrison's international career. The film chronicles the battle between two Maori brothers; reluctant tribal leader Will (MORRISON) and his rebellious younger sibling Kahu (MAKOARE). Only one of them will become the rightful leader of their people.

"I've waited for years to come back to New Zealand for something like this," says Pillsbury. "It's about the land and the people, an intense, passionate drama set in rugged, magical Coromandel. And I have a top crew, a fantastic cast and a powerful screenplay."

"CROOKED EARTH" is written by WAIHOROI SHORTLAND ("Te Karare"); GREG MCGEE ("Street Legal"); GAVIN STRAWHAN ("Lawless"); MICHAEL BRINDLEY and KARIN ALTMANN ("One Way Ticket"). PETER BEILBY ("Siam Sunset") is Executive Producer, DAVID GRIBBLE ("The Quest") is Cinematographer and KAI HAWKINS ("Bad Blood") Production Designer.

PANDORA holds worldwide rights to the film excluding Australia and New Zealand and is co-financing with the New Zealand Film Commission and NZ on Air who have been involved with the development of the project for over a year. Pandora has a reputation for financing and distributing celebrated and distinctive films including the Academy Award-winning "Shine" and "Kolya;" the Academy Award-nominated "Tango" and "Four Days in September;" and the Golden Globe-nominated "Like Water for Chocolate."

Pandora's current slate includes Dave Stewart's (Eurythmics) directorial debut "Honest," starring three members of British female pop idols, the All Saints; Alan Rudolph's "Trixie" starring Emily Watson, Dermot Mulroney and Nick Nolte; Ben Elton's directorial debut, "Maybe Baby"; "Two Thousand & None" starring John Turturro and Rolf de Heer's "The Old Man Who Read Love Stories" starring Oscar-winner Richard Dreyfuss.

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New Zealand Contact: Siân Clement The Publicity Machine Mob: 025 276 9418 E-Mail: publicist@xtra.co.nz

International Contact: K.C. Schulberg Head of Marketing, Pandora Tel: 33 1 40 70 90 90 Fax: 33 1 40 70 90 91 E-mail: kc-pandora@dial.oleane.com

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