River city hosts premiere fit for a Queen

From left, actors Cliff Curtis, Rawiri Pene, Brandon Laksman, director Vincent Ward and actor Temuera Morrison. Picture / Getty Images

About 20,000 of Wanganui's 44,000 population lined the city's main street last night to take in the glitz and glamour of a world movie premiere, as the locally produced River Queen made its debut.

The movie's international stars, Samantha Morton and Kiefer Sutherland, could not attend, but the crowds did not seem to mind having Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis as the top-billing celebrities.

They were joined by gun-toting, tattooed Maori warriors stomping down the red-carpeted street, a section of which had been partitioned off for the premiere.

A motley crew of colonial troops trailed, waved on by a number of the crowd decked out in period costume.

River Queen may have laboured under production problems and some less-than-favourable reviews, but the cast and moviemakers remained upbeat.

Speaking earlier, Morrison, who plays rebel chief Te Kai Po, said he was excited by the movie and grateful for the chance to play a Maori for a change.

Prime Minister Helen Clark applauded the efforts of director Vincent Ward in getting a New Zealand story on to the world stage.

"We have great stories and we need to see them on our big screen."

Ward was jubilant, shaking hands and thanking locals for their support.

But he was less enthusiastic earlier when asked about the mixed reviews.

Ward called for fairness from the media, and pointed to some positive coverage by Screen International.

"Overall, I have been pleased by the way audiences have responded."

He said River Queen was his proudest movie-making achievement because it told a New Zealand story, and he urged people to "see the movie to make up your own mind".

Wanganui Deputy Mayor Dot McKinnon said hosting a world premiere was "as good as it gets" for the city. Mayor Michael Laws said the premiere eclipsed the prestige Wanganui garnered when Peter Snell broke the world mile record in 1962 - but 81-year-old George Milham rated the Queen Mother's visit as the town's last big event.

After the screening Helen Clark said she thought the film was compelling.

"It reminded me of Apocalypse Now and I know the director of that has been in touch with Vincent to say how much he enjoyed the film.

"I thought the performances out of the actors were very, very good, [especially] the young boy, and the river scenery was absolutely amazing.

"It's a tough film, you feel like having a good cup of tea at the end," she said. "I think people should see it and I think they will be proud of it."