Leap Day set aside for Kiwis to celebrate their leap into the world's eye with the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King's sweep of all eleven categories in which it was nominated in the Oscars.
Governor-General Silvia Cartwright, with the support of the majority of the New Zealand Parliament, has declared February 29 to be "Lord of the Rings" Day, a national holiday for New Zealand. "On this day, we will celebrate the remarkable acheivement of our fellow New Zealanders, who together produced that epic trilogy that garnered so many awards, and that was filmed right here in our own country," Cartwright said, speaking to the Parliament. "This should be a source of national pride, and with this measure, we will ensure that all citizens of our country will have a day to express that pride."
Several parliament members expressed their disagreement with Cartwright's decision to choose February 29, the date the Oscars aired in Los Angeles, because in New Zealand, across the International Date Line, it was already well into March 1. Cartwright defended her decision, citing numerous administrative and logistical reasons why a leap-day holiday is a better choice.
