When a tornado tore Greymouth apart earlier this month it also hit Mount Victoria filmmaker Gaylene Preston hard.

Preston grew up in Greymouth and more recently returned to the coast to shoot Perfect Strangers.

She has strong ties to the people of the West Coast town and many of the locations in her film were destroyed by the tornado.

Preston has organised a charity screening of Perfect Strangers at the Embassy Theatre on tomorrow night, March 25.

She says while she was filming in Greymouth the people bent over backwards to help her.

One night they were shooting when one of her assistants got a call from the stationmaster.

“He said something like ‘the 10.30pm freight train is ready to depart for Christchurch, but don’t want to send it in case the lights muck up the shot. Ask her to give us the nod and we’ll let it go’.”

Preston says it is that sort of generosity she would like to repay. The Insurance council estimates the repair bill at more than $10 million, and Preston says thefull extent of the damage is probably worse because many people won’t have insurance and are too staunch to admit they need assistance.

“In this case it may not have worked in their favour.

Preston says there is a lot of goodwill in the Capital and the fundraiser is an opportunity to prove her right.

“It’s a chance for Wellington to show the coast that we not always in suits turning up to ask them to fill in forms.”

Perfect Strangers screens at the Embassy at 6.30pm on March 25. Tickets cost $25/$15 and include drinks and a goodie bag from Cafe L’Affare. To book phone 384 7656.