Scarlett Johansson in Ghost In The Shell. Photo: DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures
There's no denying how much the film industry is contributing to the New Zealand economy these days. There are profitable contributions from overseas productions like the upcoming Ghost In The Shell, starring Scarlett Johansson, and a very strong set of local productions. But there's also no denying 2017 has a hard act to follow, climaxing in another award for the hugely successful Kiwi editor John Gilbert for Hacksaw Ridge editor John Gilbert.
2016 was by any definition a pretty good one for NZ films – big hits, the continuing rise and rise of Taika Waititi, climaxing in another Oscar for the hugely successful editor John Gilbert for Hacksaw Ridge
But 2017 looks even busier, both for local films – fiction and documentaries – and big overseas productions. The man with the big grin on his face, you’d think, would be the CEO of the NZ Film Commission, Dave Gibson. But can a small country support so many big, expensive projects?
