Nightshave

Someone Else’s Country looks critically at the radical economic changes implemented by the 1984 Labour Government - where privatisation of state assets was part of a wider agenda that sought to remake New Zealand as a model free market state. The trickle-down ‘Rogernomics’ rhetoric warned of no gain without pain, and here the theory is counterpointed by the social effects (redundant workers, Post Office closures). Made by Alister Barry in 1996 when the effects were raw, the film draws extensively on archive footage and interviews with key “witnesses to history”.

Operation 8 examines the so-called 'anti-terror' raids that took place around New Zealand on October 15, 2007 - asking how and why they took place and at what cost to those targeted.

An animated documentary that speaks to immigrants' personal experiences living in Aotearoa, exploring themes of racism, discrimination, loss, loneliness, and maintaining cultural ties while living in another country.

The story of unemployment in New Zealand and In A Land of Plenty is an exploration of just that; it takes as its starting point the consensus from The Depression onwards that Godzone economic policy should focus on achieving full employment, and explores how this was radically shifted by the 1984 Labour government. Director Alister Barry's perspective is clear, as he trains a humanist lens on ‘Rogernomics' to argue for the policy's negative effects on society, as a new poverty-stricken underclass developed.

This short film reveals the story behind oatmeal cookies, from the farmer's field to fresh from the oven. Without words.

A Lord of the Rings tour guide in New Zealand processes his grief in a wonderful way.

Ceres is a poetic yet realistic documentary that follows four children as they experience the natural cycle of life on a farm. Each child lives on a remote farm in the southwest of the Netherlands and is learning the profession of their ancestors from a young age. They each dream that one day they will take over the farms of their father or grandfather.

New Zealand is home to ancient forests. The old trees that inhabit them have kept these forests alive for thousands of years. Majestic and powerful, these giants now face threats that weaken them. Invasive species, parasitic diseases, and fragmentation weigh on the future of these unique trees. Scientists and forest guardians take turns in the field to protect this remarkable and fragile forest, ready to be reborn.

In 1999, the largely conservative Wairarapa district in New Zealand elected a former cabaret performer/actress named Georgina Beyer to the country's House of Parliament -- a seemingly unremarkable event in that country's history except for the fact that Beyer is a transsexual and may very well be the first transsexual in the world to be elected to a national office. In their 2002 biographical documentary Georgie Girl, co-directors Peter Wells and Annie Goldson highlight the popular Member of Parliament's rapid rise through local government to prominence in the New Zealand national government.

The Sadies Stop and Start captures a moment in time. That time was uncertain and dark. Still reeling from losing Dallas, we found out that Mike needed to have emergency wrist surgery. We needed to play these songs, not knowing if we would ever have the opportunity again. With one day's notice, documentary filmmaker Ron Mann and a stellar crew pulled together to help us capture these songs. Friends and family gathered to help out and show their support. James McKenty engineered in his mobile recording trailer, In Record Time Studio. The resulting film looked and sounded better than we could have hoped. We are thankful to share that Mike's surgery was successful and we are back out on the road and coming to a city near you.

Conservationist Sam the Trap Man brings to life the vision of "Recloaking Papatūānuku" - a bold initiative to restore and regenerate over 2 million hectares of Aotearoa's native bush and wetlands.

In rural Scotland, a flock of sheep is sheared to survive the summer while a shepherd finds protection during the winter thanks to the wool. Are the clouds above them simply witnessing the process or do they actually take part in it? Shot on Super 8 with its characteristic unexpected light leaks, Passing Clouds explores a different possibility to the birth of clouds. Throughout the film, the sheep, the shepherd and his dogs guide us towards understanding the mystery of this mythical cycle based on what happens once a fleece is no longer attached to a sheep's body.

Follow the charming Aotearoa New Zealand singer-songwriter on a life-changing journey of self-exploration as he embraces his roots and creates his first album in te reo Māori.

A gripping film chronicling Māori in a defiant struggle against systemic racism and colonial injustice to reclaim their fishing rights. Through resilience and legal strategy, they secured their place in the industry, marking a landmark victory for Indigenous sovereignty. Thirty years later, the fight for equity and environmental stewardship continues.

In the years since New Zealand politicians began to grapple with climate change our greenhouse gas emissions have burgeoned. Alister Barry’s doco draws on TV archives and interviews with key participants to find out why.

When Dick and Jane go to visit their cousin Billy and Aunt Ruth at their farm, they learn the process of how butter is made and prepared for stores by making it homemade.

Whoever came up with the term 'bird brain' never met these feathered thinkers, who use their claws and beaks to solve puzzles, make tools and more.

Researchers investigate whether orcas have begun hunting great white sharks off the coast of New Zealand.

Local, organic, and sustainable are words we associate with food production today, but 40 years ago, when Fran and Tony McQuail started farming in Southwestern Ontario, they were barely spoken. Since 1973, the McQuails have been helping to build the organic farming community and support the next generation of organic farmers. This is a documentary about the McQuails that explores the very real ways their farm has contributed to the long term ecological viability of agriculture in Ontario. It is a call to action for all those who believe there is a better way to take care of our planet and feed the world.

Southern New Zealand is home to an incredible diversity of penguins; each species has its mode of reproduction, its habits of brooding and teaching its young.