In this new adaptation of a British classic, four plucky kids escape the tedium of a housebound Lake District summer holiday, and set off on their own for capers of the dinghy sailing and foiling dastardly spies variety.
A charmingly old-fashioned family adventure… The film’s pleasures are simple – soaring landscapes, old-school DIY adventure and some sweet performances by the child actors.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2017
Swallows and Amazons 2016
Recommended for ages 9+
“The four Walker children have finally convinced their parents to let them set off on their own for a sailing adventure during summer vacation. Their summer of freedom quickly turns into a fierce turf war when they learn their island camp has been claimed by the boisterous Amazons, and find themselves caught in the midst of some nefarious international intrigue that’s landed in their sleepy byways. Based on the beloved English novels by Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons is filled with dramas big and small… that come together to create a fluidly captivating story of bravery set against the languorous beauty of the English countryside.” — New York International Children’s Film Festival
“Arthur Ransome’s classic pre-war tale of childhood adventure Swallows and Amazons still evokes a golden, prelapsarian age when kids were free range and mucking about in boats was the acme of excitement… Director Philippa Lowthorpe and screenwriter Andrea Gibb have tweaked one or two details of Ransome’s original. And they’ve added an extra dash of derring-do. But at heart their film is as cosily nostalgic as the cherished 1974 version.” — Jason Best, Movie Talk