The series Rialto Presenters continues on Wednesday evenings throughout July, and this month broadcaster and award-winning author Karyn Hay returns to our television screens introducing a diverse collection of New Zealand documentaries.
Ever the Land is a moving documentary by German born editor turned feature film director Sarah Grohnert. An extraordinary piece of work that takes you into the heart of day to day life in the forest region of Te Urewera, Ever the Land documents the creation of New Zealand’s first ever sustainable ‘living building’ Te Uru Taumatua.
Following on from Ever the Land is Into the Void, an amusing, honest and compelling documentary about Christchurch underground band – Into the Void - directed by Margaret Gordon. Art school students Jason Greig, Paul Sutherland, Ronnie van Hout and Mark Whyte formed the band in the late 80s and they still occasionally play together today. What makes this film a winner is its subjects – a group of talented individuals whose self-depreciating assessment of their musical skills is refreshing.
The series then moves on to something different as we follow New Zealand traveller Sven Pannell’s return to Rwanda to find and thank a crippled homeless man who helped him escape the region a decade ago in Act of Kindness.
Wrapping up the series is No More Heroes, a nostalgia hit from the 70s charting the birth of skateboarding in New Zealand and the rise and fall during its 1970s explosion. A totally feel good way to end the month!
Rialto: What kind of films do you enjoy watching?
KH: My tastes are very eclectic in that regard, although I don’t like horror. I don’t like extreme violence either. Life can be disturbing enough at times without adding to it.
Rialto: What makes a good documentary?
KH: Tough question in the ‘how long is a piece of string’ category. Sometimes the subject lifts a documentary from the ordinary - even if the execution is formulaic. With others the cake is over-iced because the subject was dull to begin with.
Rialto: You’re introducing four quite diverse New Zealand documentaries - can you tell us briefly what appealed to you about each film.
KH: All exceptional in their own way. With ‘Ever The Land’ it was the challenge of Tuhoe creating a ‘Living Building’, the sheer bloody-mindedness of the band ‘Into the Void’, the soundtrack and everything about ‘No More Heroes’ (it’s a brilliant slice of cultural history centred on those who lived and breathed skateboarding in the mid to late 70’s), and ‘Act of Kindness’ is unique in its premise. A man goes looking for another man half way around the world to say ‘thanks’.
Rialto: I enjoyed Into The Void for its music, personalities, and story of friendship. Did you ever come across the band during your music television days?
KH: I didn’t, no. I believe they started in the late 80’s and by then I was living in London.
Rialto: If there was one New Zealand musician or band whose story you would love to see made into a film, who would it be and why?
KH: The story is often more about what happens off-stage than on-stage so I would have my pick of any number of bands!
Rialto: Have you written for film or television, and if so did you enjoy it?
KH: I am currently working on a screenplay and I have had the odd foray into writing for TV and film. Writing for film is exhilarating.
Rialto: Do you think we’re good at telling our own stories in New Zealand, and would you like to see more of them on screen?
KH: Yes and yes. As long as the filmmaker knows their stuff, or is so passionate about a subject it doesn’t matter. I’m not keen on making stories just for the sake of it, i.e in order to dip into the available funding.
Rialto: Did any of these documentaries inspire you in any way? Taken up skateboarding yet?
KH: Haha, yeah. Looking for my spare set of urethane wheels as we speak.
Catch NZ STORIES Presented by Karyn Hay on Wednesday evenings at 8.30pm on Rialto Channel.