Pike River on film 'ROBYN & MEL DID US PROUD'

Grieving Anna and Sonya share how the actors' kindness brought them to tears

- Kasia De Vydt-Jillings

Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse never planned on becoming the faces of justice for the Pike River mine tragedy.

But when their beloved husband and son lost their lives, the South Island women found their voices.

It’s a fight that’s taken them all the way to the Supreme Court and now onto the big screen with the upcoming release of the highly anticipated Pike River film.

“The first time we saw the movie, we cried our eyes out the whole way through,” shares Sonya, 66.

Sonya’s 21-year-old son Ben and Anna’s 54-year-old husband Milton were among the 29 miners who died in November 2010 when a series of deadly methane explosions ripped through the West Coast mine.

In the years afterwards, Sonya and Anna refused to be silenced.

For 107 days, they and hundreds of supporters occupied the mine entry road — a stand that stopped the mine from being sealed with concrete.

They lobbied the government, leading to a decision to allow police to access parts of the mine to recover evidence, which is still before the Crown Law Office.

They also took on the justice system itself, winning a Supreme Court ruling that it was unlawful to drop 12 charges against mine boss Peter Whittall after his insurers paid $3.41 million in reparation.