A State of Siege

A State of Siege is the story of a retired art teacher dealing with isolation and loneliness, culminating in a stormy, terrifying night. This is a six-minute excerpt. Vincent Ward's acclaimed short — adapted from a Janet Frame novel — was made when he was at Ilam art school. The Evening Post called it "the most sensitive and intelligent film that has ever been made in New Zealand". San Francisco Chronicle praised: "Ward creates more horror in this low budget movie with his play of light and shadow than Stanley Kubrick was able to create in the whole of The Shining." 

Stunning … Rigourously constructed with one exquisitely composed image following another … film becomes poetry.

– Los Angeles Times review

Key Cast & Crew

Anne Flannery

As: Malfred Signal

Vincent Ward

Director, Writer

Tim White

Producer, Writer

Peter McCauley

As: Fiance

John Bullock

As: Bus Driver

John Cousins

Composer