Out Now: Original Soundtrack to Dame Fiona Kidman Documentary, THE HOUSE WITHIN
Out Now: Original Soundtrack to Dame Fiona Kidman Documentary, THE HOUSE WITHIN
July 21st, 2025
Timed with the today’s national cinematic release of THE HOUSE WITHIN, the film’s original soundtrack – composed by Xavier Mañetto and featuring cellist Begonia Chan – is available now exclusively on Spotify.
Directed by Joshua Prendeville, THE HOUSE WITHIN is the first-ever documentary to explore the life and legacy of Dame Fiona Kidman – one of New Zealand’s most celebrated and fearless literary figures. At 84, Kidman remains a defining voice in New Zealand’s cultural landscape, having spent her life advocating for women, justice, and artistic freedom. The film offers an intimate portrait of a writer who overcame adversity to speak her truths, and reveals how personal loss, political conviction, and fiction have long been inextricably intertwined in her work.
“The film is more than a portrait of a literary icon,” says director Joshua Prendeville. “It’s about the courage to speak one’s truths, and the personal toll of doing so.”
The companion soundtrack reflects this emotional depth. Across seven ambient compositions, Xavier Mañetto’s score responds to both the archival material and Fiona’s narration. Fragments of Gershwin, Poulenc, and Beethoven – along with long-forgotten ideas rescued from old manuscripts – formed the foundation for each piece. Working in close dialogue with Prendeville, Mañetto improvised at the piano as early cuts of the documentary played overhead, allowing the score to evolve organically with the film’s tone.
“The kernel of each may have come from ambient improvisation or one of the manuscripts littering the piano top,” says Mañetto. “In conversation with Joshua Prendeville, each piece began to find its shape. In its timbre and range, a cello resembles the human voice. Cellist Begonia Chan then responded to the static piano compositions with improvised melodies, harmonies, and ambient effects that were recorded live and then stitched into the final tracks.”
The result is a moving, contemplative soundscape that echoes the film’s themes of memory, resilience, and creative legacy.
THE HOUSE WITHIN (Original Soundtrack)
Composed by Xavier Mañetto
Featuring cellist Begonia Chan
Mastered by Jordan Arts
Tracklist:
- Five
- Closed Spread
- Motion
- Lilypad
- Darwin Rd
- Moment
- Swim To Sleep
WatchTHE HOUSE WITHIN: now playing in cinemas across Aotearoa.
Listen to the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack exclusively on Spotify now – coming soon to other streaming services.
The House Within is a documentary on the internationally celebrated New Zealand writer Dame Fiona Kidman (Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour). The film explores the profound ways in which life and fiction become inextricably braided over time, tracing the deeply personal experiences that have shaped her voice and vision. Offering an intimate window into Kidman’s fascinating and often tumultuous journey, the film captures her reflections on private losses, formative struggles, and the fire that drove her to tell stories that have resonated with readers around the world. It’s a portrait of a literary maverick – and the emotional truths that made her fiction unforgettable.