Chaos-free Kiwi shoot
The man helming New Zealand’s first filmmaking co-production with India talks to about Auckland, actors and authenticity.
Pan Nalin is one well-travelled director. However, the Indian born filmmaker, who has created projects in France, Japan and his native land, wasn’t quite prepared for his newest location – Auckland.
Speaking on the phone from the Indian-based set of his latest film, the upbeat and avuncular Nalin fondly reminisced about his time in the City of Sails making Beyond the Known World.
‘‘I just loved working with the New Zealand Film Commission and I now know why New Zealand crews are some of the best in the world. And everything in Auckland was so well organised, I couldn’t get used to it. Everything was so clean and functioning – I’m used to a little bit of chaos.’’
It’s easy to see why Nalin, best known for his 2001 ‘‘spiritual love story’’ Samsara, was chosen to helm this first India-New Zealand co-production. He seems highly knowledgeable, at ease with everyone and pretty much unflappable. Set in both New Zealand and across India, Beyond is the tale of Carl (David Wenham) and Julie (Sia Trokenheim) Hansen. Recently divorced, the pair must join together to try to find their missing daughter Eva, who has seemingly disappeared off the face of the Earth while on a journey of personal discovery.
Nalin says he enjoyed getting an insight from the cast and crew about what an upper middle-class New Zealand family might be like and where they might live.
‘‘In the end, we chose a beautiful house by the sea,’’ he laughs.
After the overall shoot finished, Nalin then decamped to Wellington where he set himself up at ‘‘Peter Jackson’s ranch’’ – Stone Street Studios – for postproduction work.
‘‘I did three months editing there. Truly, I would love to come and make a film just in New Zealand. The landscapes are so inviting.’’
When it came to casting, Nalin says he found it difficult to find male actors of a certain age in New Zealand.