Experiencing Interruptions?

Margie

In 1970’s New Zealand, a 60-year-old courtesan and a desperate teenager collide in an evening of desire, connection, and blurred lines.

Over the course of one night, Margie, a 60-year-old courtesan, and Bryn, a lonely 17-year-old outcast, navigate an uneasy encounter. When Bryn fails to “perform,” Margie reluctantly agrees to let him remain in her company. What begins as an awkward exchange transforms into an evening of shared vulnerabilities and fleeting intimacy. But when Margie confuses Bryn’s innocence for familiarity, and Bryn misreads her warmth as desire, their fragile connection collapses, snapping them back to the stark reality of their transactional encounter.

  • Keely Meechan
    Director
    Allgoods, Fast Eddie, Nancy From Now On
  • Keely Meechan
    Writer
    Allgoods, Fast Eddie, Nancy From Now On
  • Virginia Wickham
    Producer
    Fast Eddie
  • Isabella Kofoed
    Producer
    Fast Eddie
  • Theresa Healey
    Key Cast
    "Margie"
    Kitchen Sink
  • Benjamin Sawyer
    Key Cast
    "Bryn"
    Rochelle
  • Pepe de Hoyos
    Director of Photography
  • Isaiah Tour
    Editor
  • Sam Trevethick
    Original Score By
  • Keely Meechan
    Production Designer
    Nancy From Now On
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy
  • Runtime:
    16 minutes 48 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 8, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    23,000 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Keely Meechan

Keely Meechan (Whakatōhea) is a writer and director from Aotearoa. Her debut short Nancy From Now On won the Creative New Zealand Emerging Talent Award at Whānau Mārama NZ International Film Festival and the Audience Choice Award at imagineNATIVE, the world’s leading indigenous film festival. She directed the personal short documentary Fast Eddie, about her fathers battle with a terminal illness, multiple episodes of Waiata Anthems, celebrating Māori music and language, and received NZ On Air funding for Allgoods, a docu-series exploring indigenous health issues for TVNZ+. Her sophomore New Zealand Film Commission funded short film, Margie, is now entering the festival circuit.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Up until now, nothing has ever really rocked Margie's boat - except this.

In writing Margie I wanted to challenge the way older women are portrayed on screen by showcasing a 60-year-old woman who refuses to be defined by age or societal expectation. The film is a response to female actors over 50 constantly being cast as mothers or grandmothers, trapped in one dimensional roles that reinforce ageism and narrow beauty standards. Margie breaks that mold, showcasing a complex, confident woman in her 60’s, which is something I feel passionate about expanding on in future projects.

I wanted to confront the stigma surrounding sex workers. Margie is presented first and foremost as a complex person, with her profession as just that; a job that does not define her or confine her to stereotypes. We collaborated closely with the Sex Workers Association of New Zealand to ensure the film portrays an authentic experience of sex workers in 1970’s New Zealand.

Bryn’s character is a lens on the sense of entitlement some young men feel toward women’s bodies. He arrives expecting to control the encounter, believing that paying for sex gives him access to more than Margie is willing to offer. His final action reflects his confusion around his own desire and Margie’s consent, and how societal messages can warp a young man’s sense of boundaries and respect.

Believe it or not, this story was loosely inspired by a woman an old colleague of mine knew as a teenager in 1970s rural New Zealand. He used to boast about how an older woman taught him how to have sex and I became fascinated by who she was and what her life might have been like. So with a touch of creative license, Margie was born. This film was made possible through a small grant from the New Zealand Film Commission’s talent development initiative, as well as the incredible generosity of our family, friends, and filmmaking community here in Aotearoa. We’re deeply proud of what we created together and hope you enjoy the film.

Ngā mihi!
Keely & the Margie team