Juniper Morning Tea Preview

A thoughtful commentary on both accepting mortality and coming-of-age, Juniper unveils a ‘positively thrilling’ performance from Oscar-nominated actress Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Stardust Memories, Broadchurch) along with remarkable skill from emerging New Zealand talent George Ferrier.

Seventeen-year-old Sam (Ferrier) has been on a self-destructive spiral that could lead to his death. He returns home to rural New Zealand from boarding school to find his wheelchair-bound English grandmother, Ruth (Rampling) has moved in. Ruth is a hard-drinking ex-war photographer with a lust for life and a love of the bottle. Sam soon finds himself profoundly confronted by her alcoholic wit and chutzpah. Their first meeting is awkward; their second violent. Things get worse when Sam finds himself stranded alone with her and her nurse Sarah for the school holidays. Both strong-willed characters, a battle of supremacy ensues, enabling Sam to embrace life again and for Ruth to face her mortality.

The sensitive character-driven drama, from first-time feature film director Matthew Saville, showcases a striking and compelling relationship between Grandmother and Grandson with touches of dark humour that will resonate with both young and old.