The Tavern producer/director Matt Hicks
One Aucklander at the premiere of The Tavern in Cambridge summed it up with a smirk.
Waikato Screen’s Tracy Hampton, right, with Matt Hicks at The Tavern Film Premiere. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
“There’s a VTNZ in the background,” he said, lamenting the challenge of snapping a glamorous photo of the arriving cast.
But that was exactly the point.
This wasn’t Hollywood or Cannes – it was Cambridge, a Waikato town that has produced two movies in the last five years.
The Tavern Film Premiere – Sisters are doing it …… Maggie Dray, left, from Waiheke Island and Sarah Price of Auckland, who did make up and worked in the movie’s art department, on the red carpet. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
For that, thank Cambridge producer/director Matt Hicks whose latest labour of love The Tavern joins Home Kills as pieces of Kiwi cinematic history.
The casts of hundreds in The Tavern, filmed at the former Masonic Hotel and other identifiable places around the town, make it a must see for Cambridge residents.
“I will be honest with you, this is a movie full of deplorable individuals,” Hicks told friends, family and sponsors who attended opening night at The Tivoli Cinema last week.
The Tavern Film Premiere producer/director Matt Hicks, centre, with Cambridge-based polo stars Bianca Drake and Kit Brooks who did the horse riding in the movie. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
An eight metre long red carpet inside the movie theatre, led to a backdrop where people had their photos taken, much like any traditional premiere.
Most of them were armed with cans of locally brewed beer. Hicks was unable to get support from major beer brands so he brewed his own.
At the 20 minute mark, with the Kiwi cult drinking son Bliss by Th’ Dudes booming out from the movie speakers, patrons were asked to stand and sing Drink yourself more P***, the name of the local brew and the original name for the song until the record company stepped in.
“If you’ve got nothing nice to say about the film,” said Hicks.
“Don’t.”
The Tavern Film Premiere – Family affair: from left David Bell, Mary Barnett, Jessica Ferris, Matt Hicks, Sarah Barnett, Phil Barnett and Robbie Ferris. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
With that, the crowd filed into Tivoli’s three cinemas to watch the 98-minute film, made with support from Creative Waikato. The movie sold out its week-long Cambridge run, prompting additional screenings. Cinemas in Waipukurau, Wellington, Hamilton, Thames, Motueka, Masterton, Tauranga, Ōpunake, Palmerston North, and Matamata have also added showings.
Hicks – a Cambridge High School old boy as well as DJ, wedding celebrant, actor and director – wrote, produced and stars as one of five small town guys who race against time to save their beloved run-down tavern.
The Tavern Film Premiere – Tokoroa’s Graham Lauder, gaffer and second unit camera assistant on the film, with The Breeze’s Stu Smith, right, on the red carpet. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Tavern Film Premiere. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Tavern Film Premiere – Sound recordist Robert Pendergrast of Hamilton, with sisters Maggie Dray, left, from Waiheke Island and Sarah Price of Auckland, who did make up and worked in the movie’s art department, on the red carpet. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
The Tavern Film Premiere – Producer/director Matt Hicks. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
