Feature Film
The Power of the Dog
2021
Filmed In
Otago · Auckland
Towns & Areas
Hawkdun Range, Oamaru and Dunedin, Central Otago · sound stages, Auckland
The Story
A tense, psychologically gripping drama based on Thomas Savage's 1967 novel. Set in 1920s Montana, it explores the toxic brilliance of a cruel rancher who wages a war of intimidation against his brother's new wife and her son.
The Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. This ensemble carries a story built on Central Otago's stark, wind-swept landscape standing in for 1920s Montana.
Behind the Lens
Directed by legendary Kiwi auteur Jane Campion, earning her the Academy Award for Best Director. Campion returned to filmmaking after a lengthy gap focused on television work, adapting Savage's novel largely on her own terms.
Why NZ?
Campion knew the stark, wind-swept plains and dramatic hills of Central Otago could effortlessly double as the isolated, beautiful, yet unforgiving landscape of 1920s Montana. The stark openness of the landscape does much of the film's emotional work without a word of dialogue.
On Set
Director Jane Campion introduced Benedict Cumberbatch to the rest of the cast and crew simply as "Phil" on his first day — "you'll meet Benedict later," she reportedly said, keeping the method-acting boundary intact from day one. Campion has spoken about writing the adaptation with a sense of needing to honour author Thomas Savage's own life story.
Legacy
Adapted from Thomas Savage's 1967 novel, the film earned twelve Academy Award nominations, with Jane Campion winning Best Director — only the third woman in Oscar history to do so.
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