Kiwi actress Rachel House is stepping into the directorial spotlight with her debut film, ‘The Mountain’.
You'll know her from outstanding performances such as ‘Boy’, ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’, ‘Jojo Rabit’ and ‘Whale Rider'.
With a stacked list like that, we know ‘The Mountain’ will join the ranks of our top fave Kiwi films.
Set in the breathtaking backdrop of Mount Taranaki, the trailer introduces us to a trio of keen youngsters – Sam, Mallory, and Bronco – on a mission to climb the mountain to connect with their ancestors.
While fighting cancer, Sam believes reaching the peak of the mountain, her ancestors will help her heal from her health battle.
“When you’re Māori, you’re mountain is your ancestor. My mission is to get to the top of my mountain,” Sam says in the trailer.
Their journey promises to have you in tears from heartwarming moments and giggle fits from the youngster's clever humour.
A cheeky reference to Gandalf from 'Lord of the Rings' and the plan to bring marshmallows along for the hike had me cracking up at my desk.
“With the generosity of mana whenua [in Taranaki], we have been able to represent Taranaki in this story about longing, resilience, and healing with three pretty cool kids living their best lives,” says House.
The film will hit cinemas up and down the motu on March 19th.
