You meet anyone overseas and say New Zealand, the first thing they bring up is hobbits.

Lord of the Rings was a crowning achievement for film production in Aotearoa, and opened the door for more movies to be filmed here.

A Minecraft Movie is just the latest overseas blockbuster to be produced on our shores, and that’s hitting cinemas around the world this weekend – while local film Tee-nah has been a box office sensation.

But as the cost of film production soars around the world, what does the future hold for New Zealand? And can we break out of the shadow of Middle Earth?

Today on The Front Page, we’re off to the movies with the chief executive of the NZ Film Commission, Annie Murray.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

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