Welcome to the Wild West, Canterbury style…
STANLEY HARRIS, a drifter and outsider enters the small country district of NETHERWOOD and unwittingly inherits a prime piece of land coveted by DUNCAN MOORE, a local wealthy landowner. Duncan wants the land at any cost and with the help of his thuggish under achieving son MEX tries to drive Stan away. But for the first time in his life Stan has something worth fighting for and he is not going to give it up easily. The appearance of the beautiful and mysterious MARIA into this masculine environment raises the stakes even higher. As we hurtle toward the final thrilling climax the true nature of the conflict is revealed: this is not about the land, this is a primal battle between men for power and dominance.
- This ‘Rural Western Thriller’ is a 90 minute independently produced feature film.
- Netherwood premiered in Christchurch as part of the NZ International Film Festival to two sellout crowds. It was labeled ‘pick of the fest’ by festival organisers.
- Netherwood was shot exclusively in North Canterbury, predominantly in the Waipara and Omihi valleys. A large number of the cast and crew either live in Canterbury or grew up there.
- Netherwood has been rated R16. It contains violence, offensive language and sex scenes.
At its core Netherwood is a portrayal of masculinity at its rawest when pride and status are at stake, contrasting the ego battle amongst males in their thirties with males in their seventies. For the young men it’s about status, for the older men it’s about controlling the legacy they will leave behind. A lone drifter entertains the idea of settling and establishing himself in a rural community only to suffer the consequence of making the commitment to something that is against his nature and discovers how feminine grace can send a man into a world of foreign possibilities where he questions his instinct and is left vulnerable. A female that at first seems far too good to be true, is revealed to be true but not so good!
– JOHN ARGALL
Scriptwriter
