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First Look: Jane Campion's Six Hour Sundance Film 'Top of the Lake'

by Alex Billington
December 4, 2012
Source: TheFilmStage

Another film that is sure to be the talk of the festival this year is something from Australian filmmaker Jane Campion (Sweetie, The Piano, Holy Smoke, In the Cut, Bright Star) and Garth Davis - a six-hour long (originally made for TV) "powerful and haunting mystery" titled Top of the Lake, premiering at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in January. The film was just announced in the Premieres line-up yesterday where it actually states in the information that "this six-hour film will screen once during the Festival." A 12-year-old girl stands chest deep in a frozen lake. She is five months pregnant, and won't say who the father is. Then she disappears. So begins a haunting mystery that consumes a community. A photo below.

First look from Sundance found via The Film Stage of Jane Campion's Top of the Lake. Stay tuned for more.

Top of the Lake

From the guide: "Top of the Lake is a powerful and haunting mystery about the search for happiness in a paradise where honest work is hard to find. Set in the remote mountains of New Zealand, the story follows the disappearance of a twelve-year-old, five months pregnant, who was last seen standing chest deep in a frozen lake. Robin Griffin (Moss) is a gutsy but inexperienced detective called in to investigate Tui's case. During the investigation, she collides with Matt Mitcham (Mullan), the missing girl's father and local drug lord. Robin will find this the case that tests her limits and sends her on a journey of self-discovery." Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan, David Wenham. This is premiering at Sundance 2013 once on Sunday, January 20th. I'm certain we'll be hearing plenty about this "film" in January. Intrigued?

Filed under First Look, Indies, Photos, Sundance 13

From around the web:

http://www.facebook.com/matt.peloquin.14 Matt Peloquin

6 hours? That's pretty egotistical for a film maker and kind of insulting to the audience. A long film has to be earned by a film maker through hard work and respect like The Dark Knight or Cloud Atlas and even those were short compared to this. For me to go see a six hour film the film maker has to earn my time with a nearly flawless resume, and extremely intriguing concept. This sounds like she was too full of herself to allow her editor to do their job, and I bet the result will be a lot of boring and drawn out shots.
- http://www.roamandthink.com/ PBGray
  
  I agree. Far too much for an audience to handle. And, the subject matter is grim to boot. I couldn't sit through six hours of this type of film.
- Matthew
  
  Well it says it was originally made for TV so I imagine you are spot on in that the film maker just wouldn't edit it down. That being said, maybe if you shut your brain off in intervals it could work 0_o
- Sunshine
  
  It's going to be a mini-series in six or seven parts.
- Mashinka
  
  It's a TV miniseries. It was only screened this way for Sundance as a special event.
Hongi Hika

Jane Campion is a New Zealander
Csych

It'll probably still be aired as a TV show which is why they aren't cutting it down?
Tony

She's not Australian, she's a New Zealander. Big difference.