The Next Generation

A key component of any community is the kids.  They're the one's that we work for, the one's that we lay foundations for, the one's that pick up the mantel and carry our hopes and dreams into the future. 

And it's the children who live with the consequences of the way we live our lives and how we treat the environment around us. The Native Americans have an ecological concept called "seven generation sustainability" which holds appropriate to think seven generations ahead (about 140 years into the future) and decide whether the decisions they make today would benefit their children seven generations into the future.  This is a key message in the film - "let me tell you about the next generation".

And in this film, that's who Malachi and Jojo represent; our future and the future we choose for NZ children.

What's very special about these two characters,
is that they represent two brothers who did fight alongside their parents in the anti-mining protests of the 80's.  In fact it's one of these brothers who inspired the whole movie (on a couple of snowboarding trips with Anton).  Hilarious and true stories such as breaking into prospectors cars and eating their shrewsberry biscuits (so 80's) have been incorporated into the film. 

What impressed Anton was that it was the young ones who at the start, actually get off their bums and do something to stop the mining, rather than just sit round arguing like the adults. 

Two special boys acted these roles - Malachi and Jojo White.  Both completely new to the screen and to acting, we cast them because we've known them for years and know that their personalities were perfect for the parts of these two on-screen characters.  Brothers in life, their bond, their cheek, their zest for life and their energy is so natural and completely engaging.  They were focused, sincere and committed to the whole filming process.  They were a great reminder to us during filming of why we were doing it – for our community and for the future.  

As all the cast and crew did on-set, you'll fall in love with these guys.