Set in a fictional backwater and filmed in the beautiful limestone hills of Waipara, north of Christchurch, Netherwood stirs a heft dose of hardboiled Southern Man stoicism into a modern day Western thriller. Owen Black, best known as the creepy Dr Ethan Pierce on Shortland Street, stars in a very different role as the lone drifter Stan, passing through the eponymous town of Netherwood. It’s not long before he is butting heads with macho bully Mex, played by fellow Street alumnus Will Hall, cranking the redneck craziness up several notches. After Stan take on a job pruning trees for Monroe, an old cobber of his father, things get complicated: he falls for the mysterious Maria (Miriama Smith) and finds himself the middle man in a long-standing land dispute between Monroe and Mex’s father, the local baron Duncan Moore. With hothead Mex on the prowl it’s not long before this feud escalates into a tense and violent showdown. – Michael McDonnell NZIFF

This one off screening is part of a nationwide tour. Actors Owen Black and Will Hall are touring with the film, “We're keen to get our film out there and have a good time while we're at it”, says Owen. “Yeah come see the film and have drink with us,” says Will. “We've got lots of goodies to giveaway and we reckon the film is pretty good too. Oh yeah, and the first drink* is on us”.

*Redeem your ticket after the screening at De Bier Haus on the Strand