The Producers

Tearepa Kahi grew up in Christchurch in a musical family. He wrote, directed and edited the short film Taua, which won the best short film award at the 2007 National Geographic All Roads Festival (USA) and was awarded honourable mention at the 2007 ImagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival in Canada. Mt. Zion is his first feature film, which has now grossed over one million dollars at the New Zealand Box Office. His two most recent documentaries Allan Baldwin: In Frame and Road to the Globe have just won prizes at the FIFO documentary festival.

Alexander Behse (35) is German born award winning creative producer who’s eclectic body of work has resonated across the wider Pacific. From high-end documentaries to celebrated prime-time series Behse’s drive for risk-taking treatments, engaging subjects and his eye for talent have made him one of the most innovative and prolific young producers of indigenous, factual and adventure programming in the country today.

Making The Film

When director Tearepa Kahi was pitched a story about a photographer and his photos, he initially didn't feel deeply inspired. He didn't want to spend a huge amount of creative energy trying to build a screen monument to someone from our past, no matter how important their contribution to our young national story. But then Tearepa held a 2/3rds colour slide in his hand that amateur photographer Allan Balwdin had taken in 1971 and held it up to the sun. The colour, the image and the kuia (elder) herself spoke to him. Her name was Ngakahikatea Wirihana, and she died at the age of 116 years. Tearepa had heard stories about her growing up, he had seen footage of her, even heard her voice on tape cassette, but somehow the image Allan captured and his own story took a hold of his mind. Spending time with Allan, his 90 year old memory and his deep sense of humility has inspired all those who worked on bringing this story to screen. The kuia are important to our New Zealand indigenous history, and so is he.