THE DEMOLITION OF THE CENTURY
“Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.”
- Edgar Allen Poe
PACKAGING
Feature Drama
A story about a father desperately looking for his son…and a son doing anything he can to avoid the father who abandoned him 35 years ago.
Tom Spotswood is in his seventies, but thinks he is 39. He returns to his hometown to reconnect with his 8-year-old son, Frank, who he believes he last saw a year ago. When he can’t find his boy, Tom becomes suspicious of a middle-aged man who is following him. He doesn’t realize this is Frank, now grown up.
A poignant, heartfelt film about a father searching for a son, and a son running from his father. A story about the consequences of hiding from your past and the healing power of forgiveness. What it takes to become the grown-up in your relationship with your parents, when you still feel like a child.
Script and pitch package available on request.
Developed in association with Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission
TEAM
Director
Rob Sarkies made his feature debut with black comedy Scarfies that premiered at Sundance, following it with Out of the Blue, an acclaimed dramatisation of the Aramoana massacre that premiered in Toronto where it was picked up by the Weinstein Company. His third feature was buddy-comedy Two Little Boys starring Bret McKenzie and Hamish Blake, premiering at the Berlinale in 2012.
Rob’s features have performed at the NZ box office, won numerous NZ Film awards (including ‘Best Film’ twice) and sold well internationally. His short films have won many awards around the world. He has a reputation as an ‘actor’s director’, eliciting career defining performances from actor’s he has worked with.
Rob’s feature length television projects include Consent - an acclaimed drama based on the Louise Nicholas story that won ‘best television feature’ at the 2014 Moa Awards and Jean, about vintage aviator Jean Batten that took 9 silver and gold awards at the New York Festivals International Television and Film awards.
Jean also took out 8 of 10 awards for Television Drama at the 2017 NZ Television Awards including Best Director and Best Drama.
In 2015 Rob was set-up director for episodes 1-3 of Matchbox/NBC Universal production Wanted shooting in NZ and Thailand. Wanted was nominated for an International Emmy.
In late 2018 Rob directed episodes of German-NZ co-production series The Gulf for ZDF / Lippy Pictures that premiered in 2019.
Rob is currently in development with a number of feature and television projects including The Ark and The Demolition of the Century.
Writer
Duncan Sarkies is an award-winning screenwriter, playwright, performer and novelist.
Internationally he is best known as writer for two of the standout episodes of the HBO TV series Flight of the Conchords: ‘New Fans’ and ‘The Cup’.
In New Zealand he is also known for co-writing the hit black comedy Scarfies that premiered at Sundance and Two Little Boys with Rob Sarkies, based on his novel of the same name. The Sarkies Brothers have a long-standing creative relationship.
Duncan has story-lined and written for the Australian ABC2 comedy series Maximum Choppage, and script edited for the Australian ABC2 comedy series Soul Mates.
His most recent project was writing and directing an audio extravaganza called The Mysterious Secrets of Uncle Bertie’s Botanarium for Stitcher featuring comedian Jemaine Clement in the lead role. The show is currently in development with HBO.
He also recently collaborated with Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi on the US series adaptation of What We Do In The Shadows.
Producer
Vicky Pope is an award-winning producer with over 15 years experience working across film, television, digital media and advertising. Her short and feature film productions have sold around the world and screened in prestigious international festivals.
Vicky’s feature producing credits include Juliette Veber’s critically acclaimed theatrical documentary Trouble is My Business as well as NZ comedy Two Little Boys starring Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords) that premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in 2012. In 2013 Vicky produced and distributed independent documentary Gardening with Soul. The film was a local smash hit with sold-out screenings around the country; going on to become one of the highest grossing NZ documentary releases at the time, and winning Best Documentary at the 2013 NZ Film Awards.
She has produced award-winning shorts including Choice Night (Clermont, MIFF, BFI London) and The Graffiti of Mr Tupaia (Locarno, Sao Paulo, Bilbao, Hof, Montreal), that went onto to scoop Best Short Film, Best Screenplay and Best Performance at the NZ Film Awards. She also executive produced Meathead (Cannes, Berlin), Cold Snap (Venice, Hong Kong) and 43,000 Feet (Tribeca), amongst other short films.
Most recently she produced Sam Kelly’s debut feature Savage starring Jake Ryan and John Tui, that premiered in Busan and London BFI 2019 to strong critical response. Savage was released during the 2020 pandemic year and secured over $1.5M at the NZ box office placing it amongst the top 20 NZ film releases of all time. It is being sold internationally by Film Constellation.
Alongside her film work, Vicky has produced a number of digital media projects funded by NZ On Air including the award-winning transmedia project for NZ children Wild Eyes, and the interactive documentary Conversations with Teen Mums, produced in partnership with NZ integrated media company NZME and the NZ Herald. She also established and runs Wellington’s annual screenwriter’s residency programme “Write Room” in partnership with Rob Sarkies, Toi Poneke Art Centre and Wellington City Council.
Executive Producer
Timothy White is one of Australia & New Zealand’s most experienced producers. He is a graduate of University of Canterbury’s School of Fine Arts. His credits include: Malcolm, Spotswood, Cosi, Angel Baby (AFI Best Film 1995); Death in Brunswick, Map of the Human Heart and Oscar and Lucinda (starring Ralph Fiennes and Cate Blanchett).
Timothy executive produced Gregor Jordan’s Two Hands (AFI Best Film 1999) before heading up Working Title Films’ Australian arm. Under this banner he executive produced Ned Kelly and Gettin’ Square.
He has produced NO2., Out of the Blue, The Warrior’s Way, The Boys are Back starring Clive Owen, and executive produced Sleeping Beauty which premiered in competition at Cannes 2011. His more recent work includes executive producer on Mr Pip starring Hugh Laurie , Son of a Gun starring Ewen McGregor, The Dark Horse and telefeature Consent.
Timothy produced Grant Sputore’s sci fi film, I am Mother starring Hillary Swank that premiered at Sundance 2019 and sold to Netflix. He is currently in post-production on the BBC commissioned adaptation of Eleanor Catton’s novel The Luminaries, Roderick Mackay’s debut feature The Furnace and I Met A Girl directed by Luke Eve.