Eternity hits the jackpot in Madrid

Wellington film Eternity has picked up two awards at the Madrid International Film Festival this month.

The sci-fi whodunit won awards for best editing of a feature film, and best supporting actor, awarded to Pukerua Bay actor Ralph Johnson.

It also received nominations for best original screenplay of a feature film, written by Wellington’s Alex Galvin, and best visual effects by Tony St George of Kapiti visual effects company Polytronik Digital.

Directed by Galvin, the film follows a detective as he attempts to solve a murder mystery inside a flawed computer game.

Filming took place in Wellington, Kapiti, Hawke’s Bay and Hong Kong.

A former Kapiti resident, Galvin said he was proud to win the editing award with co-editor Nick Swinglehurst, especially considering the film was shot on a minimal budget.

‘‘For me these awards are all the more satisfying because all the other feature films winners were multi-million dollar productions,’’ he said.

‘‘I am just so proud of all those involved.

‘‘Winning these awards provides further recognition for the cast and crew who worked so hard on creating Eternity.’’

Galvin said he couldn’t be happier for actor Ralph Johnson, who received best supporting actor.

‘‘I regard him as one of New Zealand’s finest actors and he was absolutely superb in the role of Sherlock. He owned that role.’’

Eternity is Galvin’s second feature film, following When Night Falls, released in 2007.

The film premiered at the St Tropez International Film Festival in southern France in February and screened at the Cinema des Antipodes, part of the Cannes Film Festival in May.

It won the Special Jury Prize at the California Film Awards and screened at the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival.

The Madrid International Film Festival was held from July 1 till 6.