COMING SOON
Last Man Standing
A timely tribute to Jim Anderton, the left-wing politician who stood firm against neoliberal reforms that transformed New Zealand. From breaking with Labour in 1989 to leading the Alliance and securing historic wins like Kiwibank and Paid Parental Leave, this documentary chronicles his unwavering commitment to social equity and welfare-based values.
Director
Gerd Pohlmann
CAST
Jim Anderton • Michael Cullen • Jim Bolger • Lianne Dalziel • Sandra Lee
RATING
RUNTIME
2h 00m
COUNTRY
Aotearoa/NZ
GENRE
Documentary
LANGUAGE
English
WATCH TRAILER
FILM NOTES
An intimate portrait of a politician who never lost his principles.
Jim Anderton has said he did not leave the Labour Party—rather, all of his colleagues did. Director Gerd Pohlmann's insightful documentary traces Anderton's journey from his Sydenham electorate roots through his lone opposition to the Fourth Labour Government's free-market reforms, his founding of the New Labour Party and the original Alliance, and the 1999 coalition government that delivered Kiwibank, Paid Parental Leave, and an end to privatisation. The film features testimony from key figures including Michael Cullen, Jim Bolger, and Sandra Lee, situating Anderton's activism within the broader ideological shifts that reshaped Aotearoa's political landscape.
This is essential viewing for anyone interested in New Zealand's political history and the enduring fight for social justice. Pohlmann grants Anderton his due as a man of integrity and activist commitment, one who pursued socialist principles even as neoliberalism took hold. The documentary is both a personal portrait and a wider meditation on how a more competitive, pressurised political climate emerged in the 1990s alongside MMP. Warm, respectful, and deeply informed, Last Man Standing invites audiences to reflect on a legacy that continues to resonate in today's political discourse.
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Last Man Standing
All tickets must be prepaid online or at the counter.
Sales are subject to our cancellation policy. No phone bookings
ncp - no complimentary passes
cap - captioned for hard of hearing