   in my father's den is a 2004 new zealand film written and directed by brad mcgann and starring matthew macfadyen and emily barclay. it is based on the novel of the same title by maurice gee. the film was released in october 2004 to glowing reviews.in my father's den - movie reviews, trailers, pictures - rotten tomatoes == plot ==  when his father dies, paul prior (matthew macfadyen), a disillusioned and battle-weary war photographer, decides to return home to an isolated town in the south island of new zealand. his brother andrew (colin moy), a local ostrich farmer, is caught off-guard by paul's sudden reappearance after 17 years away. worlds apart, they barely recognise each other. andrew, a pious man, pressures paul into staying to help sort out the sale of their father's cottage and the adjoining orchard. andrew is married to the highly religious penny (miranda otto). reluctantly revisiting the dilapidated family property, paul discovers the old den tucked away in the equipment shed. it belonged to his orchardist father jeff (matthew chamberlain) who, away from his puritanical wife iris (vanessa riddell), had secretly harboured a love of wine, literature and free-thinking philosophy. when paul as a child had accidentally stumbled upon this wondrous booklined universe, he had been included in his father's secret, promising never to tell anyone about it. paul sets about clearing up and stumbles upon 16-year-old celia (emily barclay) in the den. she has been using the derelict hide-away as a private haven to write her stories and to fuel her dream of living in europe, far away from the small town she longs to escape. paul curtly sends her away, unaware that she is the daughter of his first girlfriend, jackie (jodie rimmer), now the local butcher. paul's former principal persuades him to take up a temporary relief position at the local high school teaching english. celia, who has a passion for writing and thirst for experience of the world, is one of his students. intrigued, paul allows her to visit him at home. it isn't long, however, before their growing friendship comes under scrutiny from a judgemental andrew and an envious jackie. paul is very protective of celia, who doesn't think she fits in with the youth culture of the town and fe
2000s_drama_films 2004_films English-language_films Films_based_on_New_Zealand_novels New_Zealand_films