Vigil

1984

1h 30m

Drama

List

Reviews

62%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

After the accidental death of her father (Gordon Shields), a young farm girl named Toss (Fiona Kay) helps her mother, Elizabeth (Penelope Stewart), and her grandfather Birdie (Bill Kerr) maintain their farm. Toss also tries to deal with her father's death. But when the hunter (Frank Whitten) who found her father's body stays on the farm to help out, Toss grows disturbed by his intrusion into her world and to the intense sexual relationship that builds between him and Elizabeth.

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

It's the performance of young Fiona Kay that turns Vigil into a near masterpiece.

Rated: 3.5/4.0

Sep 26, 2020

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Michelle Kisner

The Movie Sleuth

Those who have the patience to stick with this languid coming-of-age story will be richly rewarded with an occasionally dark and intriguing experience.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 3, 2019

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Rob Aldam

Backseat Mafia

Aesthetically dazzling, it's driven by characters and how they react with the world around them.

Oct 31, 2018

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Adam Lippe

Examiner.com

Alun Bollinger's absolutely stunning photography brings all this grimness to life in a unique way; never before have I been so aware of the effectiveness of a 16mm blow-up to 35mm. The earthiness of the grain is so essential to what works in Vigil.

Jul 30, 2011

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Audience Member

Offbeat, mysterious, it takes it's time and is brilliant. The location is vivid and eerie I loved it. Might be hard to find.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

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Audience Member

I'm not sure if i'm best calling this the most boring film i've ever seen, the most depressing or both... either way don't watch it

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Audience Member

I think this is New Zealand's cinematic masterpiece to date. The visual language is extraordinary - the environment is bleak and gothic and as a viewer you almost feel crushed by the isolation of it, but it's poetry of a very unique and beautiful sensibility.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

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Audience Member

Better than River Queen thats for sure

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

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Vincent Ward

Director

Fiona Kay

Lisa Peers

Penelope Stewart

Elizabeth Peers

Frank Whitten

Ethan Ruir

Bill Kerr

Birdie

Gordon Shields

Justin Peers

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Synopsis

After the accidental death of her father (Gordon Shields), a young farm girl named Toss (Fiona Kay) helps her mother, Elizabeth (Penelope Stewart), and her grandfather Birdie (Bill Kerr) maintain their farm. Toss also tries to deal with her father's death. But when the hunter (Frank Whitten) who found her father's body stays on the farm to help out, Toss grows disturbed by his intrusion into her world and to the intense sexual relationship that builds between him and Elizabeth.

Director: Vincent Ward
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 20, 2018
Runtime: 1h 30m

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