THE STRENGTH OF WATER
The Story:
Two 10-year-old Maori twins Kimi (Hato Paparoa) and Melody (Melaine Mayall-Nahi) live on a chicken farm with several siblings and hard-working parents Gibby and Joy (Jim Moriarty, Nancy Brunning).
The twins befriend Tai (IsaacBarber), a solitary young man who moves into the neighbouring dilapidated house of his dead grandfather. But when Tai and Melody take refuge from a barking dog, tragedy strikes unexpectedly, the asthmatic Melody dies, and Tai is widely blamed for the incident - especially by the girl’s older brother Gene (Shyane Biddle), whose gang starts a vendetta against the lonely outsider.
Meanwhile, Kimi angrily refuses to accept his sister’s death, so much so that she, or her ghost, sticks around to converse with him, unseen by others. While Kimi’s behaviour becomes increasingly volatile, a solicitous Melody calmly ponders the condition of afterlife, and reminds her brother to keep feeding their favourite hen.
Starring:
Nancy Brunning, Jim Moriarty, Melaine Mayall-Nahi, Hato Paparoa, Isaac Barber, Mick Innes, Pare Paseka
Directed By:
Armagan Ballantyne
Release:
2009
Watch the Trailer:
