New Zealand film Jinx Sister is about to hit Kiwi cinemas after its premiere at the New Zealand International Film Festival.
Shot over four weeks entirely on location, costing under a million dollars, Jinx Sister is all heart and no budget.
The film won three nominations at this year's Screen Awards, including best low budget film, and a best actress nod for Sara Wiseman. The filmmakers credit the goodwill of cast and crew, their suppliers and even friends and family for getting the job done.
While operating on such a low budget has its challenges, it does have its upsides.
"We're not here with a huge entourage, it's all about the filming, getting the shot, the performance and the characters, and thats what the script is about," Sara Wiseman says. "So that gives you a huge amount a freedom."
Wiseman is a familiar face to New Zealand audiences, appearing in Mercy Peak, Outrageous Fortune and Sione's Wedding.
In Jinx Sister, Wiseman plays the lead role of Laura, a Kiwi girl who returns to South Auckland from her bleak existence in LA, to reconnect with her sister and herself, and to confront their past.
Wiseman gives a raw and powerful performance and says she signed up for the role early on, as she could not put down the script.
"It deals with some very big stuff," Wiseman says. "But it's not trying to do it in a sensationalist way."
Local audiences can sample Jinx Sister from next week and the filmmakers also plan to take their film offshore, hoping to hit the international festival circuit.
3 News