However, one of the first things film-maker Robert Sarkies and his author brother Duncan Sarkies did on arriving back in their home town was head straight for a playground.
"There's a dolphin-riding scene in our film, so we couldn't resist doing some whale-riding," Robert joked at the St Kilda playground.
The Sarkies and Flight of the Conchords star Bret McKenzie attended the Dunedin premiere of their latest film, Two Little Boys, at the Rialto cinema last night, before the film opens for general release in New Zealand cinemas today.
"It's opening on 60 screens around the country, which is basically every decent-sized cinema in New Zealand," Robert said.
"That's three times the size of the release of Scarfies and Out of the Blue."
The film is based on Duncan's 2008 novel about the brothers' family holidays in the Catlins.
"I think every writer mines their own life for details. It's about writing what you know," Duncan said.
"It's been amazing to see your idea get turned into a film and then, suddenly, you're standing on a film set. It's been crazy, but a lot of fun."
The Sarkies' parents, Doug and Moira, still live in Dunedin and attended the New Zealand premiere of the film in Invercargill last month.
"It's always special having a Dunedin premiere," Robert said.
"I left Dunedin in the mid-'90s, but I've never left, in a way. Dunedin people have always embraced my films and my films have been infused with something of the Dunedin spirit."
The Sarkies visited their Kaikorai Valley College alma mater yesterday, where they were presented with a cake by pupils.
"There has never been a film shot in the Catlins before and it was a stunning location," Robert said.
"I like to make the visual splendour of the landscape offset what's on screen. There's some incredible helicopter footage of the Catlins landscape."
The trio argued yesterday - like kids in the back of a car on a family holiday - about whether the Catlins was in Otago or Southland.
"The Catlins is like the pavlova of Otago," McKenzie quipped.
Two Little Boys also features Dunedin actor Maaka Pohatu and Australian comedian Hamish Blake.
The Sarkies and McKenzie head back to Wellington this morning.
