Bread & Roses
“A survivor for whom mere survival was not enough”
Synopsis
Based upon the life of activist and trade unionist (and later MP) Sonja Davies. The film covers her life up to 1956, when, at age 33, she was elected to the Nelson Hospital Board. During this period she develops strong socialist beliefs, marries and divorces, at age 17 trains as a nurse, has a romance (and a child) with an American marine who is killed in WWII action. She battles tuberculosis and marries a former boyfriend when he returns from the war. She becomes part of a women's ill-fated campaign to save the Nelson railway line from closure and begins to be elected to political bodies.
Top Cast
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Geneviève Picot
Sonja
Mick Rose
Charlie
Donna Akersten
mrs. Mackersey
Raymond Hawthorne
Mr. Mackersey
Tina Regtien
Con
Erik Thomson
Red
Theresa Healey
Peggy
Frances Kewene
Maisie
Emily Perkins
Joan
Larissa Matheson
Dot
Katherine McRae
Syd
Janet Fisher
Ruth Page
Jo Briant
Barbara
Ralph Johnson
Snr Det. Thompson
Katy Beasley
T.B. Ward Sister
William Walker
Wally
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Gaylene Preston
- Screenplay & Story
- Graeme Tetley
- Original Score
- John Charles
- Original Title
- Bread & Roses
- Country of Origin
- New Zealand
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 3h 14m
- Production Budget
- $2.5M
- Production Studios
- Preston Laing, New Zealand Film Commission
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Gaylene Preston
Graeme Tetley
John Charles
Allen Guilford
Paul Sutorius
Robin Laing
Department Leadership Roster
Gaylene Preston
Director
Graeme Tetley
Screenplay
Allen Guilford
Director of Photography
Paul Sutorius
Editor
Rick Kofoed
Production Design
Chris Elliott
Costume Design
John Charles
Original Music Composer
Robin Laing
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bread & Roses.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Bread & Roses.
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
list7
500 best 93's movies
New Zealand Feature Films
Although New Zealand movies were being made from the early days of film-making, modern film-making started in 1977.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bread & Roses
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Bread & Roses about?
Based upon the life of activist and trade unionist (and later MP) Sonja Davies. The film covers her life up to 1956, when, at age 33, she was elected to the Nelson Hospital Board. During this period she develops strong socialist beliefs, marries and divorces, at age 17 trains as a nurse, has a romance (and a child) with an American marine who is killed in WWII action. She battles tuberculosis and marries a former boyfriend when he returns from the war. She becomes part of a women's ill-fated campaign to save the Nelson railway line from closure and begins to be elected to political bodies.
Who directed Bread & Roses?
Bread & Roses was directed by Gaylene Preston.
Who stars in Bread & Roses?
The principal cast of Bread & Roses includes Geneviève Picot, Mick Rose, Donna Akersten, Raymond Hawthorne, Tina Regtien.
When was Bread & Roses released and how long is it?
Bread & Roses was released in 1993 with a total runtime of 3h 14m.
Who composed the musical score for Bread & Roses?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Bread & Roses was composed by John Charles.