We're excited to hear hear that Wellington film-maker April Phillips is near completion of her latest short film, The Last Man on Earth, a sci-fi thriller with a personal statement about the worth of people with disabilities. The story is set in the aftermath of a global epidemic that virtually wipes out mankind and that was caused by a vaccine designed to eradicate birth defects. Survivor Annie (played by actress Greer Phillips) learns the hard way that a person's worth is not determined by their looks or abilities, but rather their character and actions. The film also stars Duncan Armstrong, a very busy and experienced Wellington dancer, drummer and actor who also happens to have Down Syndrome. "He's a great example of not allowing his condition or society's negative stereotypes to define him or limit him", says Phillips. The Last Man on Earth will screen on the film festival circuit before being publicly viewable.
IMAGE/Tracey Strange
April Phillips and Duncan Armstrong filming