Article appears in NZ Film Magazine Issue Number 70, March 2003 8 May 2003
The documentary Georgie Girl is to air on P.O.V on the Public Broadcasting System in the U.S., the premier documentary slot in the country which reaches a potential audience of 250 million Americans. This sale follows broadcasts on the CBC, Canada, Channel 4, UK, and SBS in Australia. Further broadcast deals with Canal Plus Scandinavia, and DBS Israel have also been negotiated by the documentary's distributor Women Make Movies.
The documentary, which chronicles the life and times of Georgina Beyer (a Māori transsexual and former sex-worker, who was elected into government by a largely white rural electorate), has received five awards including best Film at the New Zealand Media Peace Awards and the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Sydney Film Festival.
Executive Producer at P.O.V., Cara Mertes is enthusiastic about the broadcast: "Georgina Beyer's fascinating life and political career offers an extraordinary counter-point to American politics, providing a refreshing perspective that transcends simple conservative/liberal dichotomies."
Georgie Girl is also about to screen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as part of a special series organized by MoMA and the Sundance Documentary Fund. The film continues its long festival run, and recently won Best Documentary at the Creteil Film Festival in France.
The film is co-directed by Annie Goldson and Peter Wells and is produced by Goldson (Punitive Damage).
