Pearl, Florrie and the Bull

Short Film (Full Length) – 2004

Anyone

On an evening stroll in 1996, two elderly Paekakariki twins suddenly encountered a ropey bull. Caught in an unexpected predicament, they tried patting it, praying, and holding onto its horns for dear life. Using an audio recording in which Pearl Mills matter-of-factly retells the experience, the Simmonds Brothers utilise colourful animation to bring the whole homely tale to life. Following on from their first film — based on interviews with people from Paekakariki township — this ‘documation’ short was again inspired by the stories of ‘ordinary’ people.

I grabbed hold of the bull’s horns and hung on. I don’t know what I thought I was going to do with him, but anyway that’s what I did.
– Pearl Mills

Key Cast & Crew

Phill Simmonds

Producer, Director, Animator

Jeff Simmonds

Producer, Director, Animator

Leon Kiel

Fight Vocals (Bull)

Frances Simmonds

Fight Vocals

Ross McDermott

Sound Design

Florrie Ward

Subject

See all 12 credits

Produced by

Simmonds Brothers Animation

Source

Simmonds Brothers Animation

Acknowledgements

Made in association with Creative New Zealand and the NZ Film Commission’s Screen Innovation Production Fund.

Music

Opening track 'Because of You' written by Jeff Simmonds and performed by RhythmPlant. Closing track 'Fins' written by Jeff Simmonds, performed by Obadiah and the Minor Prophets.