Following their recent world premiere in Sydney, we’re excited to announce that Director Robert Sarkies and Screenwriter Fiona Samuel will be joining BSS 2025 to discuss their journey of developing and making of the much-anticipated NZ feature film Pike River. Based on the events and aftermath of the Pike River Mine Tragedy, the film follows two women as they fight for truth and accountability after losing loved ones in the disaster. Rob and Fiona will discuss their process, crafting a story from this tragic event, and how they upheld the integrity and mana of these unique real-life characters.
Known for his bold, emotionally charged narratives, Rob has carved out a unique career, earning acclaim for his ability to tell deeply human stories. With credits including Out of the Blue, Scarfies and Jean, his work celebrates the authenticity of lived experience, making him one of the most compelling voices in contemporary NZ cinema.
Fiona Samuel is an award-winning writer, director and actor whose body of work includes Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story, Princess of Chaos and Bliss. She is an Arts Foundation Laureate and a MNZM for services to television and theatre. Fiona’s ability to craft human-centred stories with authenticity and honesty has established her as a unique writer within the Aotearoa screen sector.
Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from two of Aotearoa’s leading creatives and catch a glimpse of this highly anticipated NZ film.
SPEAKERS
ROB SARKIES
Rob made his feature debut with black comedy Scarfies (1999), premiering at Sundance and becoming an enduring hit in NZ. His sophomore feature, Out of the Blue (2006) premiered at TIFF to critical and NZ box office success. His latest feature Pike River premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in June and will release in NZ cinemas in October. Rob’s television projects include acclaimed tele-features Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story and Jean about the early life of aviator Jean Batten. Rob has also directed episodic television including episodes of The Gulf, One Lane Bridge, Australian series Wanted and many well known commercials.
FIONA SAMUEL
Fiona Samuel is a writer and director for television, theatre and film, an NZ Arts Foundation Laureate, and a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for services to television and theatre.
She has made a body of work that puts the female experience front and centre, starting with her groundbreaking drama series The Marching Girls, featuring ten young female leads at the helm. Continuing through her acclaimed Sunday Theatre telefeatures is Piece of My Heart and Bliss – The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield. Fiona wrote & directed both films, which won high ratings and multiple awards.
More recently, she has specialised into translating complex and controversial real-life stories into compelling drama, writing the screenplay for Consent: The Louise Nicholas Story and co-writing Princess of Chaos with Ally Xue.
Her latest project is another true story – Pike River, a feature film starring Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm, will be released in 2025.
