Black Sheep

In the tradition of the early Peter Jackson movies comes the latest New Zealand Horror/Comedy about one of New Zealand's favourite animals, the sheep.

Synopsis

Terrified of sheep and dosed up on therapy, Henry Oldfield (Nathan Meister) returns to his family's farm to sell out to his older brother Angus (Peter Feeney), unaware that something baaaad is going on: Angus' reckless genetic engineering program.

When a pair of inept environmental activists release a mutant lamb from Angus' laboratory onto the farm, thousands of sheep are turned into bloodthirsty predators. Along with farmhand Tucker (Tammy Davis) and greenie girl Experience (Danielle Mason), Henry finds himself stranded deep on the farm as his worst nightmare comes to life.

Battling their way to safety the intrepid trio discover there's worse to come: one bite from an infected sheep seems to have alarming effect on those bitten ...

With Angus acting suspiciously sheepish, a delegation of international investors gathering at the homestead and a ravenous flock descending from the hills, Henry must find the farmer within to wrest control of the farm from his monstrous brother, defeat an ovine invasion and save New Zealand's pastures green.

About Black Sheep

An irreverent thrill ride into the dark heart of rural New Zealand that charts a battle between the forces of science and the guardians of nature, Jonathan King's debut feature is a high-spirited take on the question that has puzzled New Zealand for over one hundred years. Are we forever to be known as a small isolated nation dominated by sheep? It is, as King says, "the New Zealand story that had to be told."

BLACK SHEEP explores a myriad of twists on New Zealand's defining woolly icon. There are methane emissions, car seat covers, gourmet cuisine, drenching and, of course, sheep shagging.

A flock of over one thousand animals, a small number of trained sheep and animatronic puppet creatures, created by world renowned Weta Workshop, were captured in camera to bring the rampant underbelly of ovine rage to life on the big screen.

Inspired by Peter Jackson's grand tradition of Kiwi splatter using physical effects, King's collaboration with Richard Taylor and his Academy Award-winning team at Weta Workshop, lies at the heart of the film. Devising everything from conceptual art to buckets of gore, sculpted body parts and sophisticated prosthetic makeups, a highly experienced crew came together to build King's distinctive vision of Kiwi bucolic bliss turned monstrously on its head.

The making of BLACK SHEEP draws on the enormous skills and infrastructure in the New Zealand industry developed, most recently, through the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy and KING KONG to tell this uniquely New Zealand story.

For more detailed information about this movie or any other New Zealand film please go to the New Zealand Film Commission