“Illustrious Energy” Re-Mastered

18 July 2011

The multi award winning film ILLUSTRIOUS ENERGY has been re-mastered at Park Road and will screen in the Wellington and Dunedin Film Festivals.

Leon Narbey, Director and Co-writer of Illustrious Energy shot the film in 1987 with Alan # LOCKe as the Cinematographer.  Our very own Clare Burlinson was the Colourist who did the re-mastering, while Weta Digital did a 4K scan of the film.

Says Narbey: ‘The film was lost for some years with the collapse of Mirage Films.  The Negative, Inter-Positive and Soundtrack of this film were tracked down to a small film lab in Slough, West London.  Since recovering it a re-mastered 2K DCP with remixed 5:1 soundtrack has been made with funds from The NZ Film Commission and the generous services of Weta Digital and Park Road Post Productions.’

This important New Zealand film is still held in high esteem within the film world. Its subjects are men from China, racism and the will to stand and move between the earth and sky.

“A hymn to dry grass, clear light and the rocky Central Otago terrain (much of it drowned by the Clyde Dam in 1993), Illustrious Energy distils the embattled life-force in men who never expected to end their days under southern skies, let alone put down roots and invigorate their new country.” - Bill Gosden.

This is the only New Zealand feature film that has ever acknowledged the Chinese in our NZ history.

The digital re-mastered film will screen in Wellington at the Penthouse August 7th, the Roxy August 8th, and in Dunedin at Hoyts August 10th.

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