The Insatiable Moon

I'm glad I caught this film at Birmingham's famous Midlands Art Centre a few nights ago. A couple of the film's producers were on hand to conduct a Q&A. They told us how difficult it was to make the film, not least due to the dreaded 'f' word (funding). In the end it took nigh on eight years to be cinematised. The film paints a poignant picture of the perception society has towards people who have the misfortune to be mentally afflicted.

A group of residents, some with mental health problems, others simply destitute, face homelessness because the local council wants their property, on the grounds of overcrowding. When told that this move would lead to the residents being released into the community, the Ponsonby (New Zealand) locals are outraged. They cannot countenance living alongside such unpredictable people.

At the centre of this story is a Maori named Arthur (Rawiri Paratene, most famous for 2002's 'Whale Rider') who insists he is the second son of God. He walks around shoeless, smiling at everyone and high-fiving friends. His mental illness cannot suppress his happiness.

Arthur's constant state of ecstasy, we learn, is in anticipation of meeting his 'Queen of Heaven'. This turns out to be Margaret (Sara Wiseman), Arthur's complete antithesis. Although sane, she couldn't be unhappier. She is desperately trying to conceive a baby with a husband who prefers real tennis to the bedroom kind.

The film was made on a shoestring and you can tell. But that's not really a problem. You don't need a big budget to tell this kind of story. In fact, that might be a distraction. A small production forces the actors to make the film. And they do, particularly Paratene and Wiseman who make us believe in their very unlikely bond.

There's a sad scene where a brain-damaged character wrestles against himself to avoid abusing two young girls. He knows he can't control himself, so he commits suicide. That's mental illness. There are some touching scenes which will nudge, if not move you. Black comedy helps the story greatly. There's an unpredictable twist, though I would have done without the 'Being There' reference. One of the themes seems to be that God works in mysterious ways - but so can people.

We're forced to contend with the rational argument that afflicted people aren't abnormal. Disease couldn't be more natural. I'm willing to bet that we all know someone who has some affliction or other. The variety of diseases and the chance of contracting one during one's lifetime are mind-blowing. There is no point in disowning someone on the basis of their mental state. I feel the same way about sexuality and all other ways to profile a human.

Films about mental illness are starting to appear at a higher frequency, but it will be some time before they are accepted as readily as any other genre. If there are people out there who still can't accept vulnerable people like those in this film (and we know there are, otherwise why else was this film made?), I urge them to see this film because it may compel them to see things differently.

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There seemed a very good atmosphere in the audience at the Cineworld, Haymarket, London, especially as we were treated to an intro talk on the THE INSATIABLE MOON by first-time film Director Rosemary Riddell. Also in the audience were the Deputy New Zealand High Commissioner and Lord Justice Thorpe.

THE INSATIABLE MOON took almost ten years in the making is set in New Zealand and tells the tale of a bunch of mentally impaired misfits that dwell in a boarding house within the local community of Ponsonby … much like an "extended family of outcasts" … much to the dismay of many of the residents.

There are activists within the community that would like to close the commune down, sell the property and move the residents away from their town.

The main-stay of the commune is the very down to earth "street-talking" Bob Davis (played admirably by Greg Johnson) – who likes to "tell it like it is" … and against all trials and tribulations, it is his efforts that keep the "family" together.

There are a bunch of weird characters within the commune – the most notable being Arthur (play superbly by Maori actor Rawiri Paratene – who had a starring role in the Oscar nominated Whale Rider). Arthur truly believes that he is the second son of God and his charisma is such, that it tends to convince some of those he meets that there may be something in his claims.

A side story to the plot concerns the kind hearted Margaret (Sara Wiseman) who is having emotional issues in her marriage in her overwhelming desire to cope with getting pregnant in a loveless marriage, who falls for the "purity" of Arthur's crusade to save the boarding house from being taken over … and she eventually falls for Arthur …

There are some good comic moments and some very sad moments due to the subject matter … but, putting these moments aside, … this is at it's heart a story about community bonding and stresses that however "outcast" you may be you can still find a "family" … a "home" where you can be welcomed … and that together you are stronger … than if you are alone …

After the presentation we were invited to stay after the film for a Q&A session with two of the film's producers (one who was Mike Riddell the Directors husband and Scriptwriter for the movie), the director and Rawiri Paratene – who played the lead role of Arthur in the movie.

After which several of the New Zealanders in the audience gave a very welcomed impromptu sing-along / chants / dance session in tribute to the film and for what it stands for … it was a good night …

Taglines: Sometimes you have to let go and see where you end up …

In a mad world, only the mad are sane…

I would say that THE INSATIABLE MOON would not cater to all tastes … and it would possibly help it you had an interest in New Zealand and the Maori culture … but those who do see it may have their eyes opened to another way of thinking … which can only be a good thing for all …

THE INSATIABLE MOON is 100mins long, is possibly more suited to adults because of the subject matter and will be on general release from 7th October, 2010

This is an excellent little film, made on a minuscule budget. It will make you laugh and it will make you cry. You won't need to download a five page cheat sheet from Salon to understand it because it's just about the stuff people do to one another, good and bad, and the serendipity that sometimes results. If you liked the Japanese film Departures or the Italian film Bread and Tulips then you will probably like this. If you're a child of the Enlightment who wants everything to be explained, with Is dotted and Ts crossed then you may be disappointed because, as this film sets out to demonstrate, some things are just inexplicable.

God works in funny ways. If the first son of God could turn water into wine, Arthur the self-proclaimed second son can make stony hearts beat again. This is an inspired film. A story of psychiatric patients in a boarding house that doesn't fit into a suburb with pretensions, sounds unpromising but magically they are revealed as very real people by an excellent script and stunning performances from all the leads which draw one in. To say it is moving, witty, and very funny doesn't do it justice. That it took eight years to produce, and after funding was withdrawn was produced on a very low budget may in hindsight have helped. One senses that it is the work of people who believed in it passionately, and put their hearts and genius into it. It shows.

Could Arthur (Rawiri Paratene) really have been the second son of God? Most people missed the first one – and they said he was mad, too. But Arthur knew how to find the magic in the world.

Against all odds, Rosemary and Mike Riddell have inspired a passionate cast and crew to bring us an emotional, challenging and thought- provoking tale of a slice of life at the unfamiliar margins of New Zealand society. Unfamiliar … and yet we know these characters and this setting. We recognise the cafés and offices; we've met the real estate agent; we've stepped over the homeless guy in the doorway and heard the strange mutterings of the nutter down the street. This movie is grounded in familiar territory, but it asks many questions about the nature of the divine, the meaning of mental illness, and the power of community.

Paratene's is a stand out performance. He believes in himself, and we believe him too. While drawing deeply from the well of his Maori heritage, his is a universal character. Audiences everywhere will know him. Audiences everywhere will warm to this movie. Go see it.