A child stands in a dimly lit room filled with multiple televisions, each displaying a blue-tinted image. The atmosphere appears eerie and unsettling.

Out of the Mist

An Alternate History of New Zealand Cinema

Two decades on from Cinema of Unease, Tim Wong’s essay film reconsiders the prevailing identity of our national cinema while privileging some of the images and image-makers displaced by the popular view of filmmaking in Aotearoa.

Out of the Mist is an alternate reading of New Zealand’s cinematic heritage, narrated by Man Booker prizewinner Eleanor Catton, and illustrated with excerpts from over 70 feature films, shorts, documentaries, and artworks. It premiered at Academy Cinemas as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival on 20 July 2015.

Where to Watch

Out of the Mist is currently available for free on NZ On Screen. A remastered version with Closed Captions and Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be available from mid-2026.

Director’s Statement

The long absence of another major documentary on our film history was a strong motivating factor behind Out of the Mist. But aside from the opportunity to update the record, what has really driven its making is the conversation I’ve shared with fellow cinephiles and filmmakers about the state of New Zealand Cinema, how we might begin to redefine it, and whose work is being obscured by the popular canon.

My contribution to this conversation was, through a questioning tone, to script an essay film with many different openings, so that it could be viewed from multiple angles: as an archeology of films and filmmakers underappreciated or ignored; as a study of images, both celebrated and outdated; as a form of advocacy for art on the margins; and as a challenge to the status quo around how national identity is represented in our movies.

In researching our film heritage, I’ve had to make some tough decisions on what to leave out. Reluctant omissions include the legacy of Barry Barclay and the work of other Indigenous filmmakers; the Vanguard Films collective; the Aro Valley Digital Cinema movement, alongside wider experimental and avant-garde impulses; Hollywood prestige pictures Green Dolphin Street, Until They Sail, plus other early examples of international productions made in or about New Zealand; Rudall Hayward’s silent comedies and period films; mockumentary Forgotten Silver, an important callback to our unknown film pre-history as well as a commentary on philistine culture; Illustrious Energy, a rare instance of our national cinema dramatising the lives of Chinese immigrants in 19th-century Aotearoa; and the list goes on.

The reasons for these choices are rarely creative. Rather, they tend to be dictated by time, money, and access. More of those three things would have yielded a longer and more inclusive narrative, one that was more spacious with its arguments and more conducive to close readings of individual films. At the same time, it would not exist at all without the generosity of so many filmmakers, nor would it sound the same without Eleanor Catton’s voice—her thoughtful narration carries an intellectual authority, if not a touch of irony, that reflects her standing within our current artistic and critical culture. I’m grateful for her involvement, as well as for the creative talent I was surrounded with, in particular editor Peter O’Donoghue and producer Melinda Jackson.

Out of the Mist presents only one forgotten history among many possible others. By moving against the grain of established thought, hopefully it can inspire other alternate responses to our national cinema’s past, present and future. —Tim Wong

Filmography

A list of every feature film, short, and documentary cited in Out of the Mist, with annotations on availability, is published on Letterboxd

If you’re interested in watching any of these films, please do so by supporting our partners NZ On Screen and Aro Video.

The following works are currently free to view online:

Resources

If you’re unfamiliar with New Zealand Cinema, we highly recommend watching Sam Neill’s Cinema of Unease (1995) beforehand.

Some further recommended viewing on New Zealand film history:

  • Campbell Walker is a Friend of Mine (2010), Elric Kane’s introduction to the Aro Valley Digital film movement.
  • The Camera on the Shore (2009), Graeme Tuckett’s tribute to Barry Barclay.
  • Breaking Barriers (1993), a TV documentary on film pioneer John O’Shea, considered a “godfather to generations of Kiwi filmmakers.”
  • Cowboys of Culture (1990), Geoff Steven’s personal perspective on the New Zealand Cinema renaissance of the 1970s and ’80s.
  • NZ Cinema, the Past Decade (1987), another perspective on the New Zealand Cinema renaissance via TVNZ’s flagship arts show, Kaleidoscope.

Press

Read more about Out of the Mist at Letterboxd, NZ On Screen, and NZIFF.

  • 2024-07-05  Craccum’s Trevor Pronoso reviews Out of the Mist.
  • 2020-08-23  A short video with Static Vision programmer Conor Bateman recommending Out of the Mist.
  • 2015-12-18  4:3’s Conor Bateman on the best digital-release documentaries of 2015.
  • 2015-11-10  Tim Wong discusses the online release of Out of the Mist on Radio New Zealand’s “Upbeat”.
  • 2015-11-05  Out of the Mist on Public Address, with a director’s introduction.
  • 2015-08-30  The Best Worst Podcasters have a conversation about Out of the Mist (1’15’14”).
  • 2015-07-30  Out of the Mist on Radio New Zealand’s “At the Movies” with Simon Morris.
  • 2015-07-30  Conor Bateman at 4:3 reviews Out of the Mist.
  • 2015-07-24  Dan Slevin and Doug Dillaman discuss Out of the Mist on the Rancho Notorious podcast (43’00”).
  • 2015-07-22  David Larsen’s notes on Out of the Mist for Metro.
  • 2015-07-21  Steve Austin at the 13th Floor reviews Out of the Mist.
  • 2015-07-20  Tim Wong interviewed by Charlie Gates for Fairfax Media.
  • 2015-07-16  Via the New Zealand Herald online, Dominic Corry’s ten films festival fans need to see.
  • 2015-07-15  The Pantograph Punch picks for NZIFF 2015.
  • 2015-07-14  For A Fistful of Culture, Hugh Lilly’s five must-see films at NZIFF 2015.
  • 2015-06-26  On Radio New Zealand’s “Upbeat”, Bill Gosden talks this year’s NZIFF line-up, including Out of the Mist (18’30”).
  • 2015-06-25  On Radio New Zealand’s “At the Movies”, Bill Gosden previews NZIFF 2015, highlighting Out of the Mist (22’30”).
  • 2015-06-23  Out of the Mist highlighted by 4:3’s Conor Bateman.

Out of the Mist: An Alternate History of New Zealand Cinema was commissioned by The Lumière Reader for a pilot web series in 2015. Advocating for art on the margins, the series combined essay film and documentary practice to engage with fellow Aotearoa artists, thinkers, and creatives, with a particular interest in those whose work has been neglected, misunderstood, or obscured by popular media and culture. It was funded by NZ On Air as part of the Digital Media – Innovation Fund.

© Lumière Industries 2015. All Rights Reserved.