Documentary producer Emily Anderson has been overwhelmed by support from the arts community for her film about the Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs.

Top New Zealand artists including Grahame Sydney, Stanley Palmer, Phil Price, Llew Summers and Philip Trusttum have donated works for a fundraising Art Auction to be held at Redcliffs School on Sunday August 22^nd.

Sculptor Phil Price is recreating a miniature of ‘The Wiggly Wagon’ - a piece originally made for the Spiritual Garden at the hospital - part of an innovative collaboration between the QEII Arts Council and the District Health Board. He credits his six week artist in residence opportunity in 1993 for inspiring the giant works he is famed for today.

Philip Trusttum has provided a painting of the letter ‘P’ from his Alphabet Series. This work cleverly depicts the letters in his first name as a playful take on self portraiture.

“It’s an extraordinary response from highly creative individuals, everyone we approached said 'Yes',” says Anderson. “So many great stories have been told during this journey and I’m amazed at the number of people touched by their experience or connection with the ‘Queen’.”

Anderson has worked as associate producer, researcher and production manager on six television documentaries for TVNZ and TV3. Her earlier career was as freelance producer of digital media and corporate videos in New Zealand and California.

Directors Greg Stubbings and Gillian Ashurst (writer/director award-winning feature film Snakeskin) have assisted with development.  The production has also received generous support from Director of Photography, Mike O’Connor who has worked for 36 years filming documentaries for New Zealand and American television, and Oscar-winning Sound Recordist Hammond Peek (The Lord of the Rings, King Kong).

Ten major pieces will go under auctioneer Craig Prier’s hammer and a silent auction will be held for thirty smaller works including photography and ceramics. The afternoon also features live entertainment, an exhibition of photographs and information from Queen Mary Hospital as well as a 'truly sumptuous' afternoon tea.

Funds raised will be used to purchase archival footage, film recreations, record waiata for the soundtrack and for marketing and distribution. Applications are being submitted to the NZ Film Commission and Creative New Zealand, while the documentary also has the backing of the Hurunui District Council, which now manages the Queen Mary site.