Editorial: Support Great War exhibition before it's gone

The "Pepper's Ghost" in the The Great War Exhibition at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Our film industry has been taking flak with a NZ Herald investigation into subsidies paid to overseas (think Hollywood) film companies to make their movies here.

Wellington (aka Wellywood) and Sir Peter Jackson have been in the firing line, and the $575 million of taxpayer funds paid to movie producers over the past eight years is hardly popcorn.

A host of movies have benefited from these subsidies - which are common to other countries trying to attract big budget films to their shores.

So far it reads like a bad B movie script, but there is an upside - the NZ film industry employs thousands of people; these big movies bring thousands of dollars into the economy; and New Zealand becomes a place to visit for thousands of movie-loving tourists (think of all who have come in search of Hobbiton; Asgard and all points Middle Earth).

The problem is, it is hard to quantify what we get back for the huge subsidy; their isn't a solid cost-benefit analysis.

Film - like all arts - adds something unquantifiable to the culture and consciousness of society.

The arts have always been subsidised one way or another because, all things considered, we believe they are worth it.

What really got my dander up was a story about "Lord of the Ring Jackson" and the World War I exhibit he worked on - voluntarily and, as far as we know, unpaid - and which is in the Dominion Building by the capital's war memorial.

The Great War Experience is due to close in November and it will cost $12 million to return the building to its original use as a Massey University facility or $50m to buy it and keep the exhibition open.

Having been round the Great War Experience, which comprises a stunning tour, giving the origins and history of WWI, and a remarkable in-your-face experience of the trenches and catacombs of Gallipoli at the height of the fighting (the Quinn's Post Trench Experience), I have to say it is absolutely brilliant.

Better than Jackson's Gallipoli exhibition at Te Papa - in fact, better than most things at Te Papa.

It would be wonderful if it could be retained ... but it it will be over by Christmas, Wellington is only a couple of hours away - go and have this amazing experience while you can.