The making of
THE HILLTOP ORCHARD
THE HILLTOP ORCHARD is an animated short film designed to introduce tsunami preparedness to younger children without causing undue anxiety. Knowing what to do can reduce fear and save lives.
As research on the Hikurangi subduction zone off New Zealand’s coast expands, its similarities to the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami become more concerning. When a tsunami occurs here, reaction time will likely be shorter, making preparedness crucial.
Originally titled THE ORCHARD, the film was first conceived as a festival short to promote New Zealand and animation art.
An Old Man lives by a hilltop apple orchard above a seaside village. One morning the village is jolted by a sharp earthquake. Although severely shaken, nobody is hurt but the Old Man remains very distressed, as he knows more is to follow. Unable to attract the villagers’ attention, to warn them, the Old Man in desperation sets fire to his own property.
The film, without dialogue, was designed so viewers hopefully realise about the same time as the characters – including apple-stealing children – what is actually happening, why the Old Man acts so oddly and what he endeavours to achieve.
The storyline is adapted from an ancient Japanese folklore and set in New Zealand as a tribute to the character’s selfless values, esteemed by both New Zealand and Japanese cultures. It is also set against a common danger—earthquake and tsunami—which both countries face. The film was funded by the New Zealand Film Commission and directed by Academy Award-nominated animator Bob Stenhouse.
THE ORCHARD was well received at festivals, including a special presentation at Hiroshima International Festival, and selected for Japan’s Sukagawa International Short Film Festival, with director / animator Bob Stenhouse attending as the only International Guest. Bob was delighted that a mainly Japanese child audience immediately recognised the story was indeed from their own traditions.
And that Japanese heritage, which inspired the original folk lore, as so many times before, struck the country again with shocking reality in 2011, March 11, when Japan experienced a devastating magnitude 9 earthquake and tsunami, killing nearly 18,500 people. The quake occurred where the Pacific plate subducts beneath the Okhotsk plate—similar to New Zealand’s Hikurangi subduction zone.
If a Hikurangi megathrust earthquake occurs, the impact could be comparable to Japan’s 2011 disaster, with tsunami waves up to 30 meters high. And because New Zealand’s subduction zone is closer to land, warning times could be as short as six minutes. Preparedness is essential—children in tsunami-prone areas must instantly recognise the danger and know to move to higher safer ground.
To aid in this effort, THE ORCHARD, first released in 1996 has been revised, reformatted for widescreen, and enhanced for digital use. THE HILLTOP ORCHARD is now available for teachers to use in class discussions, ensuring children understand the urgency of reaching safe ground in a tsunami event.