Penitence

A “Everything Sticks Film Collective” FILM
WRITTEN BY Stu Gilpin

When a young girl goes missing in the small North Canterbury town of Amberley, a desperate search only finds her violated body, left lying in a creak. Her distraught family start looking for answers and suspicion falls on a man recently returned to the town after the death of his elderly parents. Despite the police struggling to find any evidence against the man, the family and community refuse to let it go - as does the man himself. He becomes increasingly paranoid at not only the intentions of the community but also about his own innocence.

Inspired by stories of false accusations against those who don’t fit in to society, “Penitence” is a warning of how quickly communities are to persecute. It explores the dark side of New Zealand, the moralistic do-gooders and individuals who accept their fate.