
PIKE RIVER
Sponsored by:
PIKE RIVER is the powerful true story of Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey, HEAVENLY CREATURES, YELLOWJACKETS) and Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm), and their fight for justice following New Zealand’s deadliest modern mining disaster. In 2010, a massive explosion trapped 29 men inside the Pike River coal mine in the remote West Coast of New Zealand. This deeply moving film portrays the friendship that grew between Anna, who lost her husband Milt, and Sonya, who lost her youngest son, Ben. Drawing strength from the other they rebuild their shattered lives and gradually discover the scale of the betrayal they’ve endured. Together they find the courage to fight back against the mining bosses, the judiciary and the government. Their joint efforts shake the nation. Capturing their heroism with great sensitivity, PIKE RIVER is an inspiring account of the power of friendship.
Directed by Robert Sarkies and written by Fiona Samuel, PIKE RIVER captures the heroism of these two “ordinary women” with great sensitivity, chutzpah, and resilience. Both Lynskey and Rockhouse (as Anna and Robyn, respectively), are at the top of their game, bringing this incredible true story to the big screen that became a catalyst in New Zealand political history.