Lemming Aid

Grant Lahood's first short film starred a snail. For the even more widely travelled Lemming Aid, he called on a talented human cast (including Katie Wolfe, Fiona Samuel and The End of the Golden Weather's Stephen Papps) to tell a humorous culture clash tale between a Norwegian adventure tourist and Kiwi animal rights activists trying to save lemmings from their supposedly mass suicidal urges. Lofty ideals face off against human emotions in the attempts to halt the thundering rodent. The film was invited to the Cannes Film Festival, where Lahood was one of two runner-ups for Best Short Film. 

To get into Cannes was great, but then I realised that people like Clint Eastwood are on the jury. We shot Lemming Aid cheaply on a clifftop in Titahi Bay in three days of wind. I just never dreamed we’d be here with it.

– Writer/director Grant Lahood on getting Lemming Aid into the Cannes Film Festival, The Listener, 11 June 1994, page 44

Key Cast & Crew

Jed Brophy

As: Jack

Fiona Samuel

As: Raewyn

Carmel McGlone

As: Clare

Katie Wolfe

As: Norwegian

Stephen Papps

As: Steve

Grant Lahood

Director, Editor, Writer