I is for: In My Father's Den

In My Father's Den (2004)

Director: Brad McGann

Writer: Brad McGann

Producer: Trevor Haysom, Dixie Linder

Stars: Matthew MacFadyen, Miranda Otto, Emily Barclay, Colin Moy

Based on a novel by prolific author Maurice Gee, this is a rich, complex and intimate film. When Paul, an award-winning photo-journalist, returns to his isolated New Zealand hometown after his father’s death, he’s world-weary and scarred by the horrors he’s witnessed. When he meets Celia, a sixteen-year-old who has rarely left their small town, he introduces her to a world she has only ever dreamed about. She pursues a relationship with him, fascinated by his insights and cynicism about the world outside.

Paul’s presence in town is viewed with suspicion. When Celia disappears, long-held secrets and grudges re-surface as Paul is suspected of being involved. As the mystery deepens, Celia’s fate collides with devastating family secrets.

This is a beautifully layered film as well as being extraordinarily beautiful. The relationships are built up in a raw, realistic manner, making the devastating climax all the more explosive and shattering.

Sadly Brad McGann died not long after making this film, so there can be nothing more from this very talented filmmaker.