Invercargill Vegan Society member Jordan Wyatt writes on the amazing “Pork Pie” premiere, and the movie’s constant animal rights themes.

That’ll do (eating) pig, that’ll do.” ~ Babe.

With “Goodbye Pork Pie” remake “Pork Pie” racing into cinemas nationwide, Invercargill Vegan Society activists uncovered a hidden message in our Kiwi classic….that it’s about NOT eating pigs! Who knew?

The plot thickens…..turns out the new movie Pork Pie also includes a protest against dreadful “live export”, and features a vegan lead character! Selling one of the movie Minis, part of the proceeds also went to our friends at SAFE. There’s never been a better time to stand up for animals, so jump in your yellow Mini with a Z Energy “Gourmet Mexican” vegan pie, and help animals in need.

Check out our behind the scenes video exclusive, where we ask writer/director Matt Murphy WHY “Pork Pie” has so many vegan themes!

“What are you, some kind of undercover vegan activist?” “Not really, I wore these to my job interview last week. Not your mum, not your milk, I never hide my beliefs.” “Gotta have principles bro!”

“Our disobedience is civil, and is just, and we’re taking our message the length of New Zealand all the way to Invercargill.”

More premiere coverage by “What’s On Invers”

Vegan Society of Aotearoa review: A Premiere serving of Vegan “Pork Pie”

“I’m taking this bloody car to Invercargill!” The new “Goodbye Pork Pie” remake is a new masterpiece of New Zealand cinema. Could “Pork Pie” be THE most vegan film in recorded history? A kickarse female lead character becoming an ethical role model for strong women everywhere – and “Pork Pie” a cult vegan film? The Invercargill Vegan Society’s Jordan Wyatt digs deep and finds a movie with heart.

“Keira was in part inspired by the evolving morals of youth and their growing awareness of our dietary impact on global health . I have two teenage Vegan daughters who see change as the responsibility of the individual.”

– Matt Murphy (Writer / Director)

You may not have known this about me, but I’m from Invercargill. I love our beautiful city, fairest in the-New-Zeal-land: an egalitarian paradise of working-class decency and affordability, with just the right dash of eccentric mayor and pop culture infamy. The Rolling Stones may have dubbed us “The Arshole of the World”, but we’re best remembered as the place you steal a yellow Mini and hoon Invers-bound for love. My first house stands just a block from where the ’81 “Goodbye Pork Pie” Mini crashed and burnt a hole in our hearts.

Newly remade for a more ethical time, “Pork Pie” is absolutely DOUSED in animal rights messages. Main character “Keira” can’t go five seconds without demonstrating what an inspirational Animal Rights activist she is, with her vegan friends holding a big “Silence of the Lambs” rave party in a Wellington warehouse. You may recognise some of the extras: scenes involving a “ban Live Export” protest march onto the Beehive, actual vegan activists were hired! All proceeds raised went towards animal sanctuaries, and the film crew later sold one of the Minis, donating a sizeable chunk towards our main national AR organisation SAFE.

Vegan pamphlets added to fast-food takeaways, Keira actually pointing and mentioning her “not your mum, not your milk” badges, and being challenged on being an “undercover vegan activist”. She stands firm, “I never hide my beliefs.” “Gotta have principles bro” agrees “Boy” star James Rolleston. Ominously, the film’s main getaway driver had a real life car accident soon after production finished. “Pork Pie” has a slaughterhouse truck scene, where his character lies bleeding on the road…..

From fake news reports of how the “Vegan Activists Evade Police” (!), to a certain radio/TV host asking if there’s any worse mistake than “going vegan”……the animal rights messages are unrelenting! This is it, our moment where the vegan movement is firmly embedded in New Zealand pop culture. Now, our most Kiwi of movies has been remade, and its all about veganism! It’s brilliant! I sat whooping all through the Invercargill premiere. As the end credits rolled, cast and crew received standing ovations. With word of the film’s animal rights activist character, I’d entered as a man on a mission. Atop all the cheering, I took out my “Go Vegan for all the Animals” sign, waving it proudly like a vegan badge of honour – not your mum, not your milk. “GO VEGAN!” I roared. The director Matt Murphy noticed, and main star Dean O’Gorman pointed and laughed. They later starred in an Invercargill Vegan Society behind the scenes film about the movie’s vegan themes, and even signed my yellow “Pork Pie” t shirt with the creed “Go Vegan.”

Publicist Chris, and “Pork Pie” star Dean O’Gorman: “GO VEGAN!”

Keira wants to “impact change, not a bloody lamppost”, and the watching public of New Zealand think the whole wild Mini chase is about vegans calling for the “freedom of sheep”. Our supposed vegan video goes viral, “a spike not seen since since Nek Minnit or the ice bucket challenge”

The cast make a toast to “Pork Pie”, to which our vegan hero expresses disgust. To Pork Pie hats, clarify her comrades, “and to an un-silencable lamb.”

Vegans of New Zealand, here is our movie. May we forever gather for midnight screenings, our animal rights version of “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. Veganism, animal rights front and centre like a yellow Mini speeding towards the promised land.

To the quinoa crunchers of the north: reject the bourgeoisie trappings of the new BMW Mini, put down your five course degustation, hop a Kiwirail freight train to Invercargill! There’s an animal rights movement in the south, and the shits going down!

A perfect review, for nonstop animal rights messages and favourable coverage of Invercargill.