Screened as part of NZIFF 2023

Sweet As 2022

Directed by Jub Clerc Fresh

Set in Australia’s remote Pilbara, Jub Clerc’s multi award-winning debut feature is a triumphant coming-of-age road movie that honours the power of country, community and art to transform lives.

Jul 30

Embassy Deluxe

Light House Cinema Petone

Aug 01

Penthouse Cinema

Aug 05

Penthouse Cinema

Aug 13

Embassy Deluxe

89 minutes Colour / DCP

Rent

Director

Producer

Liz Kearney

Screenplay

Jub Clerc
,
Steve Rodgers

Cinematography

Katie Milwright

Editor

Katie Flaxman

Production Designer

Emma Fletcher

Costume Designer

Lien See Leong

Cast

Shantae Barnes-Cowan
,
Mark Coles Smith
,
Ngaire Pigram
,
Carlos Sanson Jr
,
Pedrea Jackson
,
Mikayla Levy
,
Andrew Wallace
,
Tasma Walton

Festivals

Melbourne, Toronto 2022; Berlin, Māoriland 2023

Awards

Australian Innovation Award
,
Melbourne International Film Festival 2022; Crystal Bear (Generation Kplus)
,
Berlin International Film Festival 2023; People’s Choice Award for Best Feature Drama
,
Māoriland Film Festival 2023

Elsewhere

Visually spectacular and rooted in Indigenous Australian understanding of Country, Sweet As is authentic storytelling at its best and no wonder as Nyul Nyul, Yawaru filmmaker Jub Clerc based her multi award-winning debut feature on her own lived experience.

The film follows 16-year-old Murra who is one step away from entering the child protection system when she is sent on a photography safari into remote Western Australia. Through her camera, Murra begins a deep cultural healing. Her inner journey is finely performed by emerging star Shantae Barnes-Cowan alongside a tight and engaging cast whose nuanced expressions of youth are both familiar and timeless.

Funny and poignant, Sweet As is a new Australian classic, which has been picking up awards since its premiere at last year’s Melbourne International Film Festival. — Libby Hakaraia

“Our protagonist Murra is labelled a ‘troubled youth’, but her inner world is full of hopes, dreams, frustrations and clever insights—despite her unsafe home environment, or perhaps even because of it.” — Silvi Vann-Wall, Screenhub Australia

An open captions session will screen in Auckland at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket on Saturday 22 July and in Wellington at Embassy Theatre (Deluxe Cinemas), on Sunday 30 July. 

A low-sensory session will screen in Auckland at Rialto Cinemas Newmarket on Friday 28 July and in Wellington at Embassy Theatre (Deluxe Cinemas), on Sunday 13 August. 

Find out more about our accessbility screenings at our NZIFF Access page HERE.

Screening With This Feature

Maunga Cassino 2022

Director

Screenplay

Rob Mokaraka
,
Paolo Rotondo

Producers

Andrew Marshall, Te Kohe Tuhaka, Luke Robinson

Cast

Te Kohe Tuhaka
,
Paolo Rontondo
Aotearoa New Zealand In Italian and Te reo Māori with English subtitles
16 minutes

A Māori warrior, an Italian deserter and a scrawny rooster are trapped behind enemy lines. What could possibly go wrong?

Screening with Sweet As.