Coming-Of-Age Cinema in New Zealand

This is the first book to investigate the coming-of-age genre as a significant phenomenon in New Zealand's national cinema, tracing its development and elucidating its role in cultural change. With chapters on landmark films like An Angel at My Table, Heavenly Creatures, Once Were Warriors and Boy, this book explores the influence of the French New Wave and European art cinema, and examines the dialogue between national cinema and a nation's literature. Looking at the characteristics of an indigenous "Fourth Cinema," as well as different perspectives on gendered and sexual identities, Coming-of-Age Cinema in New Zealand considers the evidence that these films provide of significant cultural shifts that have taken place or are in the process of taking place as New Zealanders' discover their emerging national identity.

Alistair Fox is Emeritus Professor in the Department of English and Linguistics at the University of Otago.

'In this insightful and lucid study Alistair Fox examines the coming-of-age narrative in New Zealand films, deftly showing how such stories relate to the history of both New Zealand cinema and the nation. Fox demonstrates the centrality of the coming-of-age theme to New Zealand cinema while also providing evidence that New Zealand film criticism itself has come of age.'Barry Grant, Brock UniversityThis is the first book to investigate the coming-of-age genre as a significant phenomenon in New Zealand's national cinema, tracing its development and elucidating its role in cultural change. With chapters on landmark films like An Angel at My Table, Heavenly Creatures, Once Were Warriors and Boy, this book explores the influence of the French New Wave and European art cinema and examines the dialogue between national cinema and a nation's literature. Looking at the characteristics of an indigenous 'Fourth Cinema', as well as different perspectives on gendered and sexual identities, Coming-of Age-Cinema in New Zealand considers the evidence, provided in these films, of significant cultural shifts that have taken place - or are in the process of taking place - as New Zealanders discover their emerging national identity.Alistair Fox is Emeritus Professor in the Department of English and Linguistics at the University of Otago.Cover image: James Rolleston in Boy, 2010, Taika Waititi. Photo by Matt Grace

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