1. "An assured dramatic debut and a film of striking formal sophistication" *** 1/2 Stars - Peter Calder, NZ Herald Time Out
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10871460
2. "A magnificent first feature... Impressively affecting in its purity and simplicity." **** Stars - Sarah Watt, Sunday Star Times http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/film-reviews/8425775/Story-of-peace-infused-by-love
3. "Deep but unflinchingly real... A beautiful love story" **** Stars - Sarah McMullan, Radio New Zealand Afternoons with Jim Mora
http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/aft/aft-20130315-1525-film_review_with_sarah_mcmullan-048.mp3
4. "A small, eloquent, and entirely refreshing tale. Celebrate it." **** Stars - Graeme Tuckett, The Dominion Post
www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/8431394/Film-review-The-Red-Hous
5. "One of the most contemporary and forward-thinking cinematic achievements yet from a New Zealand filmmaker" - Steve Garden, Lumiere Reader
http://lumiere.net.nz/index.php/the-year-in-review-film-2012-part-2/
6. "The limpid evocation of existential mysteries that director Alyx Duncan achieves is a thing of quiet wonder.” - Bill Gosden, NZIFF
http://www.nzff.co.nz/film/c6e512ae-fe7b-4918-82b4-8a30e9ee325e
7. “Quiet audacity is expressed through Duncan’s willingness to embrace the possibilities of imagination while not settling for the actuality of her parents’ situation” – Tim Wong, The Lumière Reader
http://lumiere.net.nz/index.php/home-truths-with-alyx-duncan
8. "Damn, this is the best NZ film I've seen in a while." **** Stars - Jacob Powell, Letterboxd
http://letterboxd.com/jacobunny/film/the-red-house-2013/
9. "A small, eloquent, and entirely refreshing tale. Celebrate it." **** Stars - Graeme Tuckett, Radio New Zealand Nine till Noonhttp://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2549090/film-with-graeme-tuckett
11. "The Red House is not just one of the best films about cross-cultural romances I’ve seen in a while, it’s also one of the most deeply romantic - period. " **** Stars - Aaron Yap, Flicks.co.nz http://www.flicks.co.nz/movie/the-red-house/#flicks-review
12. “A profound existential meditation on life itself … Gorgeous.” – Helen Martin, Onfilm magazine http://www.onfilm.co.nz/2013/03/11/the-red-house-cinema-details-and-review
15."Her exquisite aesthetic sensibility is on show in The Red House." - Peter Calder, NZ Herald
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/movies/news/article.cfm?c_id=200&objectid=10871022
“A small gem.” - ROLF DE HEER
“For thrilling atmosphere, strong intimacy
and wise use of animation.” ‘BEST ANIMATED SHORT’ - WARSAW FILM FESTIVAL
“This is a lyrical allegory of someone who literally gave his life to the sea. A great example of a filmmaker who is relentlessly dedicated to a strong theme.” ‘FILMMAKER INTERNATIONAL SHORTWORK AWARD’ - WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL
"The Sea Inside Her tells the story of an older woman whose grandchild's antics begin to throw her into panic. What if he drowns? What if her stabs himself? Her inner torment becomes tumultuous as elements of the sea encroach upon the domestic interior. The sea is inside her, but it also surrounds her. She is both within the turmoil and its observer. Despite the terror of it all, she becomes fascinated by the beauty of the puppet sea creatures and when the worst happens and her grandchild is consumed by one of them, she has the cathartic experience of rescuing him.
A grandmother experiences the sea inside her. These are strange and mind-expanding ideas. We move between what is now and what could be, between inside and outside the conscious world. The visual poetry is compelling. But it is also utterly original and distinctive. It is painterly. Indeed, the use of puppets, animation and original music means that the film is also multi-disciplinary. There are several artists involved and they take the content way beyond the conventions of most short films, offering a take on individual psychology through a range of visual aesthetics.
I love the rhythms of the work that take you into a space of other-worldliness."
- ANGIE FARROW professor emerita, Massey University