Whenever there’s a film from Aotearoa that centres on kids, they tend to not be appropriate for kids. Taika Waititi’s Boy dabbled in drug use and profane language, Niki Caro’s Whale Rider dealt in the kind of drama targeted towards adults, and Daniel Borgman’s The Weight of Elephants hands out some straight-up depressing subject matter.
You’d also struggle to count all the family-friendly Kiwi films released over the past couple of decades. Even if you count Footrot Flats (which might be generous but I won’t judge), you’d still struggle to use all your fingers.
It’s partly why The Mountain feels so incredibly rare. Rachel House, making her feature directorial debut, has crafted a distinctly New Zealand film centred on kids that young audiences can latch onto while also telling a story with enough substance to affect anyone of any age.
