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Don Selwyn is a Actor, Director and Casting Néo-Zélandais born on 22 november 1935
Don Charles Selwyn, ONZM (22 November 1935 – 13 April 2007) was a Maori actor and film director from New Zealand. He was a founding member of the New Zealand Maori Theatre Trust and directed the 2002 film The Merchant of Venice, the first Maori language feature film with English subtitles.
Born of Ngati Kuri and Te Aupōuri descent, Selwyn grew up in Taumarunui and began his professional life as a teacher. In 1984 he began a film and television training course for Maori and Pacific Islanders. In 1992 he co-founded He Taonga Films. In 2007 the Arts Foundation of New Zealand selected him for an Icon Award, which was awarded to him privately shortly before he died.
Selwyn was made an ONZM in the 199 New Year Honours, for services to theatre, film and television.
Source : Wikidata
Don Selwyn
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Born of Ngati Kuri and Te Aupōuri descent, Selwyn grew up in Taumarunui and began his professional life as a teacher. In 1984 he began a film and television training course for Maori and Pacific Islanders. In 1992 he co-founded He Taonga Films. In 2007 the Arts Foundation of New Zealand selected him for an Icon Award, which was awarded to him privately shortly before he died.
Selwyn was made an ONZM in the 199 New Year Honours, for services to theatre, film and television.
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Filmography of Don Selwyn (10 films)
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Came a Hot Friday (1985)
, 1h41Directed by Ian Mune
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Billy T James, Marshall Napier, Don Selwyn, Bruce Allpress, Roy Billing, Prince Tui Teka
Roles Norm Cray
Rating64%
In rural New Zealand in 1949, Wes Pennington (Peter Bland) and his partner Cyril (Philip Gordon) are out to run a horse-racing scam for as long as they can. They are inveterate gamblers who have joined forces to trick local bookies, by taking advantage of delayed broadcasts of horse races. After arriving in small town Tainuia Junction, Wes and Cyril get involved in a bootlegging ring, arson and murder. Among a group of local eccentrics, they also meet the Tainuia Kid (Billy T. James), a Maori who believes himself to be a Mexican bandito. He becomes a kind of protector for the duo.
Mesmerized (1985)
, 1h34Directed by Michael Laughlin
Origin Australie
Genres Drama, Thriller
Actors Jodie Foster, John Lithgow, Michael Murphy, Harry Andrews, Dan Shor, Reg Evans
Roles Joseph
Rating47%
An orphaned New Zealand girl marries a wealthy and much older businessmen, but strains soon begin to develop between them, causing great emotional and physical toil on them, as well as those around them, from family to servants, and business and trade associates and clientele.
The Lost Tribe (1983)
Directed by John Laing
Genres Adventure, Horror
Actors John Bach, Don Selwyn, Martyn Sanderson
Roles Sergeant Swain
Rating56%
Anthropologist Max Scarry (John Bach) mysteriously vanishes following his voyage to the island of Fjordland as part of his study on the reclusive Kiwi tribe Huwera Maori. The police believe him to be guilty of murder, after they find a woman's corpse in his island retreat. Max's spouse Ruth (Darien Takle) accompanies her brother-in-law Edward (also Bach) in uncovering the truth. They venture into the eerie island and are haunted by ghastly happenings. Finally, Edward snaps under mental pressure and his brother, apparently having died, possesses his body during a supernatural Huwera Maori procession.
Goodbye Pork Pie (1981)
, 1h45Directed by Geoff Murphy
Origin Nouvelle zelande
Genres Comedy, Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Road movies, Chase films
Actors Tony Barry, Bruno Lawrence, Claire Oberman, Don Selwyn, Marshall Napier, John Bach
Roles the Kaitaia police officer
Rating67%
In the Northland town of Kaitaia in Spring 1978, nineteen-year-old Gerry Austin (Kelly Johnson) opportunistically steals a wallet accidentally dropped by a wealthy woman named Lesley Morris. Finding cash and her driver's licence inside it, he uses them to rent a yellow Mini from Hertz. With no particular aim in mind, he drifts down to Auckland. Meanwhile, in Auckland, the middle-aged John (Tony Barry), has just had Sue, his girlfriend of six years, walk out on him and fly home to Invercargill. After a night on the bottle, John decides to go down to Invercargill.
Sleeping Dogs (1977)
, 1h47Directed by Roger Donaldson
Origin Nouvelle zelande
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Political films, Dystopian films
Actors Sam Neill, Tony Martin, Warren Oates, Ian Mune, Bill Johnson, Don Selwyn
Roles Taupiri
Rating62%
Following the break-up of his marriage caused by his wife's affair with another man named Bullen (Mune), "Smith" (Neill) arranges to live on the Coromandel peninsula on an island owned by a Maori tribe. Meanwhile, political tensions escalate as an oil embargo leaves the country in an energy crisis. Tensions boil over into a civil war and guerrilla activity. However, Smith enjoys his peaceful island life and has little interaction with the rest of society and his dog which was given to him by a friend.
Rangi's Catch (1972)
, 1h12Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Temuera Morrison, Ian Mune, Don Selwyn
Rating54%
Four children on a remote sheep station in the South Island of New Zealand hear of the escape of two convicts, and realise that the crooks are responsible for burgling their house while they were swimming. They pursue the crooks, and despite being detained by the police help catch the crooks and their stolen money hidden in a cave, so are rewarded. They return to their idyllic rural existence
Director
The Maori Merchant of Venice (2002)
, 2h38Directed by Don Selwyn
Themes Films about religion, Films about Jews and Judaism, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare
Actors Lawrence Makoare
Rating67%
Producer
Crooked Earth (2001)
Directed by Sam Pillsbury
Genres Drama
Actors Temuera Morrison, Lawrence Makoare, Jaime Passier-Armstrong, Nancy Brunning, George Henare, Calvin Tuteao
Roles Casting
Rating56%
The film follows Will Bastion (Morrison) as he returns home from the army after an absence of 20 years to bury his father. Upon returning home Will must, according to tradition, take on the position of tribal chief. Due to his disinterest in the position, his brother Kahu (Makoare) takes the opportunity to be in charge. Faced with Kahu's drug-dealing and radical views, Bastion must decide whether to act.
, 1h38Directed by Ian Mune
Genres Drama
Themes Films about families, Seafaring films, Transport films, Films about domestic violence, Gangster films
Actors Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning, Julian Arahanga, Rena Owen, Tammy Davis, Lawrence Makoare
Roles Casting
Rating63%
Jake "the Muss" Heke is now fighting to save his son Sonny from a gang lifestyle after his eldest son, Nig, is killed in a gangland shootout. Jake goes through a period of hopelessness as he tries to restore his family to a functioning state after his anger, drinking, and violence (depicted in the first film) tore them apart. He still has trouble accepting the old traditional ways of the Māori people, but he begins to realise the importance of family and regrets what his former actions have done to them. Towards the end of the film, Jake does his best to reconcile with his family, even going so far as to save his son's life despite great personal risk to himself. This action, along with several others, serve to highlight Jake's changing characteristics.
Once Were Warriors (1994)
, 1h39Directed by Lee Tamahori
Origin Nouvelle zelande
Genres Drama
Themes Films about alcoholism, Films about families, Feminist films, Medical-themed films, Seafaring films, Films about drugs, Transport films, Films about domestic violence, Gangster films
Actors Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Cliff Curtis, Julian Arahanga, Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, George Henare
Roles Casting
Rating78%
Beth left her small town and, despite her parents' disapproval, married Jake "the Muss" Heke. After 18 years they live in an unkempt state house in an unnamed New Zealand city and have five children. Their interpretations of life and being Māori are tested. Their eldest daughter, Grace, keeps a journal in which she chronicles events as well as stories she tells her younger siblings.
Never Say Die (1988)
, 1h30Directed by Geoff Murphy
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Action
Themes Spy films, Political films
Actors Temuera Morrison, Lisa Eilbacher, Tony Barry, George Wendt, John Clarke, Geoff Murphy
Roles Casting
Rating52%
Both Alf and his wife Melissa have returned home to New Zealand after being homesick. After a delay in customs that irritates Alf, the two return to their old home which has just had the utilities switched back on. As they arrive the house is destroyed in a gas explosion. Paranoid Alf goes to report his suspicions that the explosion was deliberate to his nemesis on the New Zealand Police, Inspector Evans. Evans thinks Alf is upset and imagining things. Alf later survives a car crash where his brakes were cut, however an examination of Alf's car lead Evans to believe that shrapnel from the house explosion cut the brake line.