Snakeskin
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Gillian Ashurst
Written by	Gillian Ashurst
Produced by	Vanessa Sheldrick
Starring	Melanie Lynskey Boyd Kestner Dean O'Gorman Oliver Driver
Cinematography	Donald Duncan
Edited by	Marcus D'Arcy Cushla Dillon
Music by	Joost Langeveld and Leyton
Production companies	CowGirl Productions New Zealand Film Commission Portman Productions
Release date	May 2001 (2001-05) (Cannes Film Market)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	New Zealand
Language	English

Snakeskin is a 2001 New Zealand road thriller film directed by Gillian Ashurst. The story focuses on Alice (Melanie Lynskey) and her best friend Johnny (Dean O'Gorman), who embark on a road trip across New Zealand. Along the way they pick up an American hitchhiker named Seth (Boyd Kestner), who is on the run from a gang of skinheads (led by Oliver Driver) and a group of drug dealers.

Snakeskin screened at the 54th Cannes Film Festival,^[1] before opening in New Zealand cinemas on 11 October 2001. Critics praised its production values and acting, with Variety calling Lynskey's performance "excellent".^[2] The film won six New Zealand Film Awards in 2001. It has never had an official release in the US or the UK, but has played on television in both territories.

Cast

• Melanie Lynskey – Alice
• Boyd Kestner – Seth
• Dean O'Gorman – Johnny
• Oliver Driver – Speed
• Paul Glover – Terry
• Charlie Bleakley – Owen
• Gordon Hatfield – Tama
• Taika Waititi – Nelson
• Jodie Rimmer – Daisy
• Jacob Tomuri – Robbie

Awards

• 2002 AFI Los Angeles Film Festival – Nominee for Grand Jury Prize^[3]
• 2001 New Zealand Film Awards (Wins)
  • Best Film
  • Best Cinematography
  • Best Computer Generated Images
  • Best Editing
  • Best Original Music (Joost Langeveld and Leyton)
  • Best Contribution to a Soundtrack (Dave Whitehead)
  • Also nominated for: Best Actress (Lynskey), Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Makeup, Best Supporting Actor (Glover)

External links

• Snakeskin at IMDb

References