Doco’s year with Helen
A homegrown documentary about former Prime Minister Helen Clark’s campaign for the top job at the United Nations has its New Zealand premiere today.
But the star won’t be there to see the lights dim at The Civic’s screening of My Year with Helen, part of the New Zealand International Film Festival.
Her travel commitments mean Clark — who led the Government for nine years — won’t be in attendance. Her travels in the past week have taken her to Siberia, Mongolia and Russia.
After resigning from the Labour Party in 2008, Clark served as administrator of the UN’s Development Programme for eight years until April.
She ran for the position of Secretary General after Ban Ki-moon announced his retirement in 2016 but lost to former Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Guterres.
My Year with Helen is directed by New Zealander Gaylene Preston.
“This is a film about a woman who has led New Zealand, who has before she left New Zealand been in the top 25 of the Forbes’ most influential women in the world list for many, many years and remains so,” Preston told the Herald on Sunday.
“I think the film just illuminates the work she’s done. It takes you right to the door of the old boys’ club and leaves you there.”
It received a standing ovation at the Sydney Film Festival, but Preston said showing it here would be different.
“Helen is us. Although the film doesn’t have anything to do with local politics, nevertheless she’s ours so it’s like a home crowd is always going to be different.”
After the screening Preston will host a Q&A with audience members.
“My Year with Helen is a living document. It captures a time and a place with a very particular world leader striding through it.
“In a way although it’s about Helen, it’s actually about a much bigger thing which is female leadership and female empowerment.”
Whether people loved or hated Clark, they had to admire her, Preston said.
“She’s trying to leave the world a better place.”