Crazy New Zealand offering for Cannes

Jaquie Brown

TV presenter Jaquie Brown has co-written a short film that's been selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

"It's the only New Zealand film this year at Cannes," she says, sounding pretty chuffed, about the film festival starting on May 11.

Brown co-wrote Nothing Special, with her long-time friend Helena Brooks, who directed the film.

Nothing Special is about a boy whose mum is totally insane, says Brown.

"She thinks he's Jesus reincarnated and makes his life hell by telling everybody who he is - she sends out fliers about him, that sort of thing."

When he leaves home all he wants to do is lead a "dull" and normal life so he takes an office job. He is so set on being normal that he ends up bringing attention to himself, and his mum comes back into his life.

Brown and Brooks got together to work on a film because they'd known each other for years and have a similar sense of humour.

"We nutted out a few ideas, laughed at each other a lot and wrote it all down," says Brown.

Their idea was rejected the first time they applied for funding because it needed reworking. After a rewrite they applied for, and received, funding. All up, the film took about two years, says Brown.

And now, along with producer Steve Sachs, they're off to Cannes.

* Jaquie Brown is profiled in The Herald's canvas magazine today.