What makes a good film?
The uniqueness that a filmmaker brings to it. The script and the perspective. What separates two films from each other is the way that the filmmaker looks at things. The more truthful it is and the less it caters to everyone, makes it a better film.
Tell us about your film Kennedy
It’s a character study and a thriller set during the lockdown. During the lockdown, the police started hassling people, and the main character does the cleaning up job. He’s a ghost in the system, also dealing with his own ghosts and looking for redemption. Then he starts to unravel.
What are your favourite films you’ve made?
When I was the most naïve and innocent filmmaker, I made film called Black Friday because it was a very honest piece of filmmaking. Outside of that the ones I like the most are Ugly and another called Mukkabaaz – it was the first time I made a relationship love story which I really enjoyed doing.
What brought you to Ōtautahi Christchurch?
ScreenCanterbury NZ brought me. We screened Kennedy at Lumiere, which is such a good cinema. Christchurch is a beautiful place. One of the things I love is that people have homes and gardens rather than living in apartment buildings – they have their own space, and that’s what my childhood was like. Everything is beautiful – from mountains, to ocean, to small water bodies. This is my first time here, so I’m just taking it all in. It really lends itself to storytelling.