Elijah Wood stars as a wayward but well-meaning dad in this magical father–daughter quest set in the New Zealand wilderness.

Following the hospitalisation of her mother, 11-year-old bibliophile Mildred is left under the care of her estranged father, a now-washed-up illusionist. Worried by her despondent state, he decides to distract her – and gratify her very active imagination – by taking her camping in the New Zealand forest. There, they can seek out the Canterbury Panther, a mythical beast that may prove essential to healing their family. But it seems other, unexpected forces are determined to get to them first.

For his second feature film, director Ant Timpson reunites with his Come to Daddy (MIFF 2019) star Wood, who has demonstrated his veritable genre chops in those other made-in-NZ adventure flicks, the Lord of the Rings films. Here, ably assisted by young actor Nell Fisher, who imbues Mildred with an endearing blend of sparky curiosity and loveable bookishness, Timpson has crafted a fantastical coming-of-age odyssey indebted to the sense of wonder he felt as a child in the 1970s. Appealing to both the young and the young-at-heart, Bookworm is a charming throwback to that decade’s movies, including The Dove and The Sea Gypsies, and tells a vibrant story about a special bond that can’t ever be broken.

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Director Ant Timpson is a guest of the festival and will be in attendance at all sessions of the film.