What was proclaimed by Guinness World Records as "the greatest film hoax in history" is receiving the DOCNZ Focus treatment as Peter Jackson's 'mockumentary' Forgotten Silver screens on November 26.

Co-director Costa Botes is travelling up from Wellington to watch this brilliant joke once again on the big screen and will be on hand to take part in an audience Q&A after the 'documentary.' What was proclaimed by Guinness World Records as "the greatest film hoax in history" is receiving the DOCNZ Focus treatment as Peter Jackson's 'mockumentary' Forgotten Silver screens on November 26.

Co-director Costa Botes is travelling up from Wellington to watch this brilliant joke once again on the big screen and will be on hand to take part in an audience Q&A after the 'documentary.'Learn how they created the aged film, how they convinced reputable names to take part in the jokes and, perhaps more importantly, about the dangers of mockumentary filmmaking.

Originally screened on the TV ONE timeslot usually allocated for plays and mini series and introduced as a serious documentary, Forgotten Silver is Peter Jackson's nod to early cinema as it 'uncovers' the lost films of forgotten Kiwi film maker Colin McKenzie.

Noted as the first and greatest innovator of modern cinema, McKenzie accidentally created the tracking shot, the close up and both sound and colour films before their documented creation. It was McKenzie's work also that documented New Zealand farmer and inventor Richard Pearse as being the first man to invent a powered aircraft, months before the Wright Brothers.

With footage from the premiere screening of a McKenzie film presented by film promoter Lindsay Shelton with commentary from acting great Sam Neil and film archivist John O'Shea, and critical praise from notable industry types such as Harvey Weinstein of Miramax Films and historian/critic Leonard Maltin.

Such was this attention to detail, which led the controversial film to infamy. Duping audiences upon its broadcast in 1995, it was only a few days later Jackson and co-director Costa Botes came out and announced it being a hoax.

TV One subsequently received a huge number of complaints and even threatening mails - all of which were presented in a documentary about the mockumentary -

"TVNZ should be ashamed that they can show this sort of rubbish on TV"
TVNZ Auckland Phone Log, 30/10/95

"Peter Jackson and his Forgotten Silver cohorts ought to be shot"
Anonymous letter

"Well ... what a#!@$&!@ you turned out to be. Get some ##@% morals mate!!!" Anonymous phone call to Costa Botes

Forgotten Silver - as part of the DOCNZ Focus Season

26 November 2008 at 6:30pm
Academy Cinema, Auckland

Annual Membership Fee (prices include GST)
Single membership - $78.75
Dual membership - $146.25
Students and OAP's - $67.50

Single Screenings
Single ticket - $15 or Groups (10+) - $12
3 Film Sampler - $45

For more information on DOCNZ Focus and registration, visit www.docnz.org.nz

26/11/08

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