New Zealand’s latest film My Wedding and Other Secrets will achieve an unusual first when it opens on March 17. It will be the first locally made film to give audiences the opportunity of seeing it both in its English version as well as in a foreign language version, with Chinese subtitled prints screening in three Auckland cinemas.

A romantic comedy from South Pacific Pictures, My Wedding and Other Secrets stars Michelle Ang as Emily Chu, a young New Zealand born Chinese woman who falls in love with, and secretly marries James (Matt Whelan), a European guy.  She faces disownment from her traditional Hong Kong born parents – but will love conquer all? 

“This is a film with a universal story and we are targeting a wide audience with its release.  It is the first film to be written and directed by a New Zealand born Chinese and it takes a light hearted look at how tensions arise between the traditional values of immigrants and their New Zealand born children.  We feel it will connect with new Chinese migrants and students and so we have made Chinese language versions available for this audience,” said John Barnett, South Pacific Pictures’ CEO.

The Simplified Chinese subtitled versions will screen at Event Cinemas Queen Street and Highland Park, and Hoyts Botany Downs, where English language versions will also play.

Directed by Roseanne Liang, the New Zealand born daughter of Hong Kong immigrant parents, the film is based on her story. Filmed in Auckland locations last year, it stars Michelle Ang, Matt Whelan, and well known Hong Kong actors Cheng Pei Pei and Kenneth Tsang, who play Emily’s parents.

“Both Cheng Pei Pei and Kenneth Tsang are very well known to Chinese audiences, which gave an extra impetus to making a Chinese version available” said John Barnett.