Festival screening for film with quirky nuns on NZ road trip

Holy Days, based on Dame Joy Cowley’s novel, sees Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes and Jacki Weaver play three oddball nuns called Sister Agnes, Sister Luke and Sister Mary Clare respectively.

British actress and comedian Margolyes played Professor Pomona Sprout in some of the Harry Potter films.

Set in a small village in 1970s New Zealand, Holy Days follows nine-year-old Māori boy Brian, who finds solace in the nuns after his mum’s passing, returning for daily visits at her grave in their homey convent. This neighbourhood jewel becomes the target of developers, and in order to save it, the nuns – with Brian’s help – must high-tail to the South Island in their old car to collect the deed from their lawyer, Brian’s great aunt. 

But Brian has a secret mission of his own: to reach the peak of Mt Cook, where he believes he’ll find his mother before she steps off into the spirit world.

TIFF Industry Selects is a curated strand of “standout, audience-ready” titles that are available for acquisition during the festival. Screenings are limited to accredited buyer passholders.

Holy Days will be distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Kismet and in Canada by Photon Films. Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights for other countries.

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Nat Boltt’s ‘Holy Days’ in TIFF Industry Selects line-up (IF Magazine)

Holy Days (TIFF)