Zealous Clark proves a reel hit for NZ

As far as Hollywood is concerned these holidays, New Zealand is hot. In the past fortnight, Peter Jackson's heavyweight King Kong and Andrew Adamson's faithful adaptation of the C.S. Lewis book Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe have been steamrollering their way to the top of box office charts in the US and other parts of the world.

Besides the collective ker-chinks of cash registers ringing across the land, the thing that these films have in common are the fact that both Jackson and Adamson are New Zealanders who have decided to film their blockbusters in their homeland.

To the world, credit goes to Jackson, whose Lord of the Rings trilogy finally made international filmmakers take a good, long look at New Zealand as a viable filming destination.

But talk to New Zealanders and most would acknowledge that Prime Minister Helen Clark has played an important role. While New Zealanders may be critical of her policies, and even her personality, even her harshest critics grudgingly acknowledge Ms Clark's part in boosting the industry and New Zealand's status in the eyes of the world's filmmaking community.

Born a farmer's daughter near Auckland, Ms Clark's reputation as a steely, arrogant and emotionless politician has grown as quickly as her political star has risen. The mere mention of her name elicits strong reaction from her countrymen and women - and don't even get them started about her other policies.

But the 55-year-old leader's passion for the creative sector is clear. Her official biography touts her as a theatre- and opera-lover and those in the industry note her tendency to slip in and out of gallery openings and premieres incognito and without fanfare.