Despite the havoc of the COVID-19 years, 2022 has been another strong year for local film and now film festival darling Millie Lies Low opens in New Zealand cinemas.
Headlining is the rapidly-rising star Ana Scotney who spoke to Kate Rodger about her first big lead role.
In 2018 came Kiwi classic The Breaker Uppers, complete with Kiwi breakout Ana Scotney busting out her mean-as comedy chops as jilted girlfriend Sepa.
Then came a full 180-turn for her next role as Mata in the emotionally charged five-star film Cousins. And now comes her first major lead role as Millie, In Millie Lies low.
Scotney is a young architecture student off to her dream internship in New York. That dream soon turns into a nightmare when her anxiety explodes into full panic.
Missing her flight, she hunkers down in her hometown, Insta-faking her fabulous new cosmopolitan life in the Big Apple and hiding from the world.
Scotney has that elusive authentic X-factor, she's the real deal. But you won't find a trace of ego here, just a tonne of gratitude.
"I think I've been fortunate enough to work with quite varied material and I'm just quite grateful for that. It was cool to be able to go from The Breaker Uppers and pivot to a story like Cousins," she said.
And now she pivots yet again. Millie Lies Low has just rolled into cinemas across Aotearoa.
Watch the video.
