Elijah Wood returns to New Zealand for his heart warming and touching new film Bookworm.
It’s been a few year’s since Elijah Wood shot the Lord of The Rings in New Zealand, but the actor could not resist the temptation to return to the stunning and familiair location to shoot his new film, Bookworm.
Wood reunites with his Come to Daddy director Ant Timpson. He plays the leading role in the filmmaker’s first expedition into the adventure-comedy genre. Bookworm is a family adventure focusing on 12-year-old Mildred (played wonderfully by Nell Fisher). Her life is upended following the hospitalization of her mother.
With no one else to care for her, Mildred’s American magician father, Strawn Wise (Wood), is tasked with caring for his bookish pre-teen daughter. Strawn attempts to keep her entertained — and her mind off her ailing mother. To do so, he plans a camping trip into the New Zealand wilderness.
Timpson says the story is like “…an escapist 70s cinema we grew up with, non-pandering cinema where adults and kids enjoyed all the onscreen shenanigans equally”. The script takes a turn into whimsy when the pair embark on a quest to discover the “mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther”. However, Mildred bears only camping knowledge, sans experience. And Strawn is less accustomed to the Southern Alps than the Las Vegas Strip.
The chemistry between Wood and Fisher is undeniebly real and gives a true family feel to the film. Now that Elijah Wood is a dad, his real life experience clearly comes through in his performance.
Our Bonnie Laufer caught up with Elijah Wood and Director Ant TImpson about working together again, having the film debut at the Fantasia Film Festival and shooting in New Zealand.
Bookworm is now playing in select theatres in Canada.
- Rated: PG
- Genre: Drama, Family
- Release Date: 10/18/2024
- Directed by: Ant Timpson
- Starring: Elijah Wood, Michael Smiley, Millen Baird, Morgana O'Reilly, Nell Fisher, Nikki Si'ulepa, Theo Shakes, Vanessa Stacey
- Produced by: Emma Slade, Jake Rice, Laura Tunstall, Mette-Marie Kongsved, Roxi Bull, Victoria Dabbs
- Written by: Toby Harvard
- Studio: Firefly Films
