Michael King: A Moment in Time 2007

The wise and highly articulate writer and historian Michael Kingtalks candidly in this film about milestones in his professional life. Recorded at the 1991 New Zealand Writers' Week in Dunedin, the footage was intended to be the first part of a documentary about his work, but the proposal was rejected at the time by TVNZ. It was rejected a second time after the publication of his Frank Sargeson biography, but when he won his Icon award, in 2003, contact was re-established and discussions about updating the interview were finally under way. Tragically, his death in 2004 meant that this never happened. Filmmakers Clare O'Leary and Glenis Giles submitted this film to the Festival with the idea that, even though this is only a small part of a what was intended to be a much larger film, the stature of Michael King, his reputation and his contribution to the formation of and discourse about a New Zealand identity give this work an added significance since the time it was made, and felt that it deserved to be seen as is. We are sure you'll agree. — Glenis Giles