Thursday, 1 February 2018 - 2:08pm

Big screen role for constable

2 min read

News article photos (2 items)

Josh Calles
Josh Logan

Ruatoria Constable Josh Calles put his acting skills to the test after landing a starring role in a locally produced film.

Josh made his acting debut in the film Broken, which was mostly shot in Gisborne and produced by City Impact Church.

The film is based on a true story - the historical event involved a Māori chieftain’s daughter who was killed by another tribe. The grieving chief did not choose utu (revenge) to avenge his daughter; he chose to forgive her murderer, who later sought him out to atone for his crime.

Tarry Mortlock, the film’s director, adapted the story for the present and approached Josh to screen test for the role of Logan - an ex-gang leader trying to decide what to do after his daughter is killed by an opposing gang.

“Tarry and I have known each other for more than a decade and when he asked me to screen test for the role I was pretty stoked,” says Josh.

“The screen testing was hard work but Tarry really pushed me and saw the potential I had. There are a few confronting scenes in the film and to show the audience the true emotion I really had to dig deep — Tarry’s direction and guidance really helped with this.”

For Josh acting has always been a passion. Before his role in Broken, he had been involved in the 48 Hour Film Festival.

“I always wanted to give acting a go and Broken was a perfect opportunity to showcase my skills, as well as involving my faith.

“One of the most challenging parts for me was staying in character during breaks. The intensity I had to portray in scenes as Logan was quite demanding and really pushed me to my limits."

Josh’s role as a frontline police officer also helped him with scene preparation.

“My role as police officer gave me some helpful background into gang environments - especially when dealing with police-gang interactions on screen.”

Born and bred in Gisborne, Josh was a builder before he decided to join Police in 2012.

“I had some friends in Police and they encouraged me to join. I've never looked back. What I love most about my job is interacting with people.

“Sometimes you don’t see them at their best but, once you get behind the scenes and get to know them and what drives their behaviour, you can help them find workable solutions.”

Filming for Broken began in Anauru Bay in May 2016. Josh and an army of Gisborne locals volunteered to take part in the film and were supported by local businesses and other organisations.

“Without the support of the volunteers and other organisations this film would not have happened. The role they played was imperative to the film’s success,” says Josh.

Broken does a good job of presenting forgiveness without being preachy. The messages are powerful but subtle. Forgiveness is a real option and can heal people after traumatic events.”

The film was released nationally yesterday (1 February) in cinemas.

Beyond the Blue is a project to highlight the diversity of ways Police staff spend their time away from work.