Als das Meer verschwand (In My Father's Den)
New Zealand/U.K. 2004

Opening 30 Nov 2006

Directed by: Brad McGann
Writing credits: Maurice Gee, Brad McGann
Principal actors: Matthew MacFadyen, Miranda Otto, Emily Barclay, Colin Moy, Jimmy Keen

The award winning film, In My Father’s Den, commands the attention of the film buff with awesome cinematography which brings the countryside of director Brad McGann’s own New Zealand homeland to life. The slow-moving narrative, involving tragic family secrets, is perfectly paced to keep you entangled in a web of intrigue. McGann’s thriller executes precisely every twist and turn of a well-developed plot par excellence. It is almost as good as reading Maurice Gee ’s novel from which the film is derived.

Paul (Matthew MacFadyen), a renowned war journalist, returns home to a small town in New Zealand after the announcement of his father’s death. Longing for a haven of rest from the atrocities he experiences in his occupation, he initially welcomes the thought of being home. After the funeral, Paul and his brother, Andrew (Colin Moy), attend to the business of the family estate. This involves cleaning out a hideaway in the woods to which their father had periodically escaped. It was a surprise to Paul to find out that the lair is also regularly visited by a teenage girl named Celia (Emily Barclay). In spite of Paul’s arrogant mannerisms and their vast age difference, Celia and Paul become friends. Their friendship becomes the therapy needed for each of them to deal with a mysterious past. Celia helps Paul to see the world through her innocence and to find a renewed hope in humanity. Paul helps Celia see the world through his journalism, which gives her hope that she, too, can make a difference in the world. Their worlds fall apart when Celia goes missing and Paul is under suspicion for keeping company with a minor. (Karen Pecota)