Judy Davis, Miriam Margolyes, and Jacki Weaver will star as three older oddball nuns on a journey to New Zealand’s South Island in Nat Boltt’s directorial debut Holy Days, set to begin principal photography across the Tasman this month.
Boltt wrote and will also star in the Canadian-New Zealand co-production, based on author Dame Joy Cowley’s 2000 novel.
The story follows the quirky trio as they hit the road looking for miracles but learn to drive like demons instead.
When the last of the sisters of St. Suzanne faces forced retirement, they take matters into their own hands. A last-minute dash to New Zealand’s stunning South Island leads them to an ex-nun-turned-lawyer who can defend their rights. A young Māori boy jumps on board to help, but has a secret mission of his own: to reach the peak of Mt. Cook, where he believes he’ll find his recently deceased mother before she steps off into the spirit world. Things go terribly wrong when an unexpected snowstorm throws everyone off course, and the oddball group of friends faces their greatest challenge yet—mortality.
Firefly Productions’ Emma Slade, Victoria Dabbs, and Roxi Bull are producing with Michelle Morris and Sushant Desai from Canadian company Lily Pictures, and Māori producer Tainui Stephens. Micah Winata and Eva Trebilco are associate producers on the feature.
The production is backed by Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand Screen Production Rebate, Angel Investors Marlborough, Percasky Family, University of Canterbury/Kōawa Creative Technologies Precinct, Telefilm Canada, Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, CBC Films and Elemental Post.
Boltt, who has appeared in series such as Riverdale and Galapogas X, said she was “so proud” of Holy Days and the “incredible people and partnerships” that had made the film possible.
“Like Little Miss Sunshine, this story brings together an unlikely group of friends and sets them on an unexpected journey of discovery, where they may not get what they want but they sure get what they need,” she said.
Holy Days will be distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Kismet Entertainment and in Canada by Photon Films. Blue Fox Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights, excluding New Zealand and Canada.