How Far is Heaven

New Zealand 2012, 99 minutes
Dir. Christopher Pryor, Miriam Smith
Genres: Documentary

Synopsis: Beautifully measured portrait of the haunting settlement of Jerusalem on the Whanganui River, immortalized by poet James K. Baxter, and famous for the long-serving nuns of the church and convent founded there in the 1880s.

“This cinematic treat provides a rare glimpse into a world where different spiritualities coexist with the kind of mutual respect that would make Baxter proud.”~North & South

Aroview: A genuine triumph. Directors Christopher Pryor and Miriam Smith deftly compare the lives of the Sisters of Compassion (only three resident at the time of shooting, down to two now) who have been living among the tangata whenua since the order was founded by Suzanne Aubert in 1892, and the spirited youth that they teach and counsel.

Two deeply held belief systems co-exist in Jerusalem, and the beautifully photographed film presents us with multiple dichotomies — maori and pakeha, young and old, urban and rural — without taking any sides itself. Destined to be one of the greats. ~ Dan Slevin

NZ International Film Festival 2012