White Lies

I agree with the majority of these reviews. I was looking up to see what other films one of the actors on White lies had been in (Taika's film Boy, must watch it again) and well I'm kind of freaked out with the luvnotwar person. Top of the Lake and White lies are both so accomplished! What on earth? Sure, a few faults here and there for both but I wouldn't think that the acting in either deserved moaning about. Yes, Elizabeth Moss accent was weird in a few places but being a character who had traveled all over the world it is little wonder the accent strays. Have you heard Anna Paquin being herself lately? Crazy accent. Very cool. And the performance of Elizabeth Moss was brilliant. There is a style of acting my mate reckons we've become accustomed to in this country. A friend, an actor, calls it "soft whisper acting". I will not attach it to any show but it definitely seems a requirement for some local drama I've watched lately and it works perfectly well too. I loved the boldness of all the actors in Top of the Lake and White Lies. I've mostly seen Rachel House, Nancy Brunning and Elizabeth Hawthorne in theatre shows some years ago now. They were fabulous in White Lies. I heard Antonia was great in Outrageous Fortune. I've been away for a few years, didn't have time to lock in to Blue Rose on my return. Anyway, thanks for annoying me enough to become a member. Might go and score some other films now. White Lies is intense and definitely worth seeing. Still thinking about it. Take a hankie.

Despite the myopic comment referring to the title being inappropriate, it couldn't be more valid to the story line. A "White Lie" is a lie that is perceived as being harmless or trivial and told to avoid hurting another persons feelings. This is exactly the theme. It is a story set in the post-colonial period of New Zealand where cultural beliefs clashed heavily against one another. It was a time where necessity often meant that people would have to give up their identities in order survive in an environment that had very little opportunity (or compassion) for the native race that had suffered the typical injustices of colonialism. Against this backdrop is the story of a mother and her daughter who are trapped in a lie - a lie that separates them from their culture, as well as from each other. It is to a very sad extent that the mother drives her daughter to an impossible way of life all for the sake of blending in and the perception of wealth and well-being.

An incident drives her mother back to her native roots to find a solution for her daughter - who is facing severe consequences, possibly fatal. From this point the mothers fears and lies are confronted.

It is a slow, quiet but very emotional tale. The three main characters portray this emotion wonderfully.

Admittedly, this may not be a tale for everyone, but it does try to convey the struggles that were undoubtedly common for this time period. And as such, the way the movie depicted a mothers love for her daughter and the extent she will go to give her what she thinks her daughter needs, suited the era it was set in.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was a pleasant surprise.

Who knew that New Zealand's Maori natives suffered the same hellish treatment dished out by the English Empire around the globe. This is another chapter of Western "civilization" the elites would prefer to have kept swept under the rug. It's a sad tale of gender, racial, andethnic prejudice and abuse. The director is young and inexperienced, but tries her hardest to convey original ideas in new ways. Her bravery in tackling such a delicate subject with honesty is unique.

It's very difficult to be picky and compare techniques to Spielberg, and the Hollywood elite who had so much more to work with in their careers. I applaud this director, cast, and crew for doing a great job.

If your idea of a great film is STAR WARS, you can pass this one quietly by. But if you're a curious person who enjoys history, politics, and deeply emotional situations in foreign cultures, you'll find this quite compelling and rewarding.

I was fortunate enough over the weekend to attend a screening of NZ feature White Lies followed by a revealing Q+A session with writer/director Dana Rotberg, star Antonia Prebble, composer John Psathas and novelist Witi Ihimaera. It might seem odd for a film about NZ colonial identity to be made by a Mexican filmmaker, but surprisingly the story benefits greatly by coming from an outside perspective.

Adapted from Witi Ihimaera's novella Medicine Woman, White Lies doesn't have a particularly well told story at its core, but is nonetheless an important film for NZ to have produced. Set during the early days of settlement, the film depicts a sinuous power struggle between colonial housewife Rebecca (Prebble), her housemaid Maraea (Rachel House), and Paraiti (Whirimako Black), the Maori medicine woman whose particular skills and discretion are sought.

The shifting dominance of each of these women, representing different aspects of female identity at the time, weaves a compelling and bleak narrative, but some of the story beats that should have had greater impact unfortunately fall a little flat. Elements that needed more room to breathe play out much too quickly, not allowing audiences time to digest, although the film's closing scenes are powerful. White Lies deals with uncomfortable subject matter, and Rotberg doesn't shy away from the story's most tragic aspects.

Thankfully, White Lies looks better than any NZ film for some time. The cinematography by NZ legend Alun Bollinger gives the rugged setting of the film a beautifully oppressive quality reminiscent of his work on Vincent Ward's Vigil, and has moments of rare, haunting beauty.

It's a shame that most viewers will be unable to hear Rotberg speak about her approach to the film. The director's keen understanding of the tragedy of colonialism in her homeland brings significance to White Lies that a Kiwi director may have been guarded about addressing, and hearing her thoughts on NZ colonialism and our nervous attitude about exposing our own violent past was incredibly refreshing. Her desire to treat the subject with integrity while never sugarcoating it comes across with wonderful passion, and while she remained respectful of the source material, she makes no excuses for altering Ihimaera's work to suit her own vision. Despite the film's faults, White Lies takes more risks and offers deeper perspective than most NZ films of late.

Important and heartful. All children can benefit. THESE STORIES ARE MEANINGFUL AND NEED TO BE TOLD. CONGRATS TO DR.