Red, White and Brass raising dosh for blue and gold

An advanced screening of a new, hotly anticipated movie will come to Blenheim next week in a bid to raise money for a high school overseas experience.

Wednesday’s special premiere showing of Red, White and Brass, will help send 72 Marlborough Boys’ and Marlborough Girls’ college students on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the United States of America.

Trip spokespeople Jenny Pullin and Matt Clark say both schools are excited to have the opportunity to take students on the overseas learning experience; especially after three years of border closures.

They hope to raise $5000 from the movie screening, with money to go towards an emergency fund in case of unexpected costs while overseas.

“Previous trips have highlighted how much students gain from these experiences.

“It’s not just the educational learning before, during and after the trip, it’s also at a personal level.

“Things like getting a job to pay for the trip, saving for a goal, budgeting for spending money, calculating currency exchange rates. There’s a lot of personal growth for our students as part of this experience.

“The $5000 being fundraised is essentially an emergency fund, covering any unexpected costs that might arise due to bad weather or illness, for example,” they say.

The 20-day trip, during the term three school holidays, will begin in New York City and finish in the southern US city of New Orleans with students visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the UN Headquarters and the birthplace of Martin Luther King, as well as tours of Capitol Hill, the Coca Cola headquarters and the Hurricane Katrina Tour.

Red, White and Brass follows Maka, a Tongan superfan, who is willing to do whatever it takes to get tickets to the Tonga vs France Rugby World Cup game – even if it means creating a brass band, from scratch, in a month.

The debut feature film for co-writer and director Damon Fepulea’i, the film is inspired by a true story and filmed in Wellington.

It is funded in-part by Angel Investors Marlborough.

Tickets for the Blenheim premiere on March 22 are available through Marlborough Boys or Marlborough Girls school offices, or email ticketsredwhitebrass@gmail.com

Tickets are $30 for adults, including a glass of wine, and $25 for under 18s, which includes a soft drink. Constellation Wines has generously donated the wine for the event.