Keep on the Sunny Side

In this half-hour documentary the National Banjo Pickers' Convention is lovingly showcased — as are the flared pants, unruly beards and smoking pipes of 1970. The convention's fourth and final year featured international acts such as Bill Clifton and Frank Sillay, plus local favourites like The Hamilton Bluegrass County Band. Keep on the Sunny Side was one of the 2,400 titles selected to be preserved by Saving Frames — a government-funded project lead by the Film Archive (now Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision) and Park Road Post, to preserve culturally significant films in danger of being lost.   

Some people seem to think there is something a bit artificial about New Zealanders singing American folk music, but I reckon that's rubbish. It's music; you sing it because you want to sing it.

– Musician Frank Sillay

Key Cast & Crew

Tong Wong

Camera

Kel Peach

Camera

Bob Harvey

Producer

Warwick Brock

Director, Writer

John Longworth

Camera

Alan Smythe

Writer