Television Series
Top of the Lake
2013–2017
Filmed In
Otago
Towns & Areas
Queenstown · Glenorchy · Lake Wakatipu
The Story
A dark, moody, and critically acclaimed mystery-drama series. It follows an obsessive detective who returns to her remote childhood home to investigate the disturbing disappearance of a pregnant twelve-year-old girl.
The Stars
Elisabeth Moss, David Wenham, Peter Mullan, and Nicole Kidman. This ensemble anchors a story built around the South Island's genuine, brooding isolation.
Behind the Lens
Created and co-directed by Oscar-winner Jane Campion. Campion co-created and co-directed the series with Gerard Lee, her collaborator from earlier in her career.
Why NZ?
Campion showcased the South Island's breathtaking but imposing, brooding isolation. The fictitious town of "Laketop" was filmed around the stunning, glacier-carved landscapes of Queenstown, Glenorchy, and the misty shores of Lake Wakatipu. The genuine remoteness of the landscape does much of the show's tonal work before a single line of dialogue is spoken. The show's reliance on genuine isolation, rather than a constructed set, shaped much of its unsettled, watchful tone.
On Set
Elisabeth Moss arrived in New Zealand just three days after wrapping Mad Men, having never actually met director Jane Campion in person before filming began. The finished show leaned on that isolation as much as any line of dialogue.
Legacy
Created by Jane Campion, the series won Elisabeth Moss a Golden Globe for her performance, and was followed by a second season, Top of the Lake: China Girl. The finished show leans on that isolation as heavily as any performance in it.
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