Official selection
New Zealand International Film Festival 2023
International Film Festival Rotterdam 2024
Sydney Film Festival 2024
Director
Michael Duignan
Producer
Michael Duignan, Lissy Turner
Writer
Michael Duignan
Cast
Michelle Ang, Jonny Brugh, Florence Noble, Jessica Grace Smith, Benedict Wall
Cinematographer
Michael Duignan
Composer
Lucola
Editor
Michael Duignan
Production Designer
Gavin Walker
"A Winner... Micheal Duignan's first film is quirky fun which gets the mix between silly and serious just right"– Theodoor Steen, SCREEN ANARCHY
“It's giving Auckland Paranormal by way of Argento, Cosmatos et al and I had an absolute blast”– Georgia Carson, LETTERBOXD
“Moves like a rocket, employing knowingly handmade special effects to give the film’s telekinetic sequences a trippy, off-kilter feel. Duignan and his team make a lot out of a little, giving the film a wide scope while maintaining the spirit of low-budget New Zealand cinema in the footsteps of BAD TASTE.”– NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Dutch (Benedict Wall) once had it all; he was the 347th ranked tennis player in the world, with a loving wife (Jessica Grace Smith) and a devoted (adopted) brother (Shadon Meredith). And then one day, it all comes crashing down when a silver Toyota Corolla cripples him and leaves him for dead, which he is for six minutes before he's revived. No longer able to play or coach tennis, Dutch soon discovers his wife is not so loving and his brother is not so devoted. The only thing keeping him alive is revenge, pure and simple. But how to find the driver that hit him, left him for dead and ruined his life? Simple—master the power of telelocation, the psychic power to locate objects. To do that, Dutch must become the apprentice of Lyra (Florence Noble), a master psychic who needs Dutch's help as much as Dutch needs hers, for there are many realities and many dimensions and they're both going to need a lot of help (and patience) to find what they're looking for.
One of the few reliable things in movies today is the quirky, low-budget New Zealand genre comedy, and THE PARAGON very much continues the tradition of such faves as WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS and MEGA TIME SQUAD. Former POWER RANGERS director Micheal Duignan, making his debut feature, has constructed a very funny paranormal comedy that doesn't take itself seriously while still treating its characters with love and respect. The ideal casting of Wall and Noble, who make a terrific team, helps to ground THE PARAGON's (delightfully) silly genre trappings, bringing plenty of belly laughs to Duigan's very clever screenplay. Featuring SHADOWS' Jonny Brugh in another VIP supporting turn, THE PARAGON is very funny stuff no matter what dimension you're in. – Matthew Kiernan
Please Note: This film contains scenes of strobing light that may affect sensitive viewers.
Showings
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