Documentary TV Series

In 2012, Pacific Screen, joined with Melting Pot (Auckland) and Paua Productions (Christchurch) to produce a series of half hour documentaries funded by New Zealand On Air. The programmes focused on diversity in New Zealand.

We made 10 of these stories, which took us on an amazing journey: from the earthquake-ravaged ruins of Christchurch, a music festival in New Plymouth, a firefighting competition in Port MacQuarie, to grinding poverty in the slums in Manila.

Prog 1: Swee Tan – A Surgeon’s Gift

Plastic Surgeon Swee Tan faces a marathon day of surgery and reflects on his journey from rural poverty in Malaysia, to his life in NZ leading a team of pioneering cancer researchers.

Prog 2: Operation Restore Hope

Every year a Kiwi medical team donate their time and pay their own travel costs to Manila, to spend a week doing cleft palate operations on children in extreme poverty.

Prog 3: The Womad Wrangler

A behind-the-scenes look at Womad, New Zealand’s biggest music festival, and the work of Chris Herlihy, the man who makes sure it all runs like clockwork.

Prog 4: Cheap As Chips

A team of Supergrans leads the “Cheap as Chips” course for council tenants, sharing cooking and budget tips, and together discovering secret places round Wellington where you can find free wild food.

Prog 5: Battle at the Basilica

One of the biggest building preservation projects ever undertaken in New Zealand gets underway in Christchurch. It’s the battle against time to save the Catholic Basilica from being progressively, and potentially critically, damaged by earthquakes.

Prog 6: Manny and The Singh Brothers

Two rising stars in the music business, Shaan and Tyaan Singh – schoolboys from the Kapiti Coast – get the chance to work with Manny Garcia, a music performance specialist, as they write a new song.

Prog 7: The Trolley Boy

Refugee Makuei Aken is nominated for an Arts Access Award. It’s another step in what has been a long journey… from tragedy and flight from Southern Sudan, survival in a refugee camp, to finally settling in his new home in Upper Hutt.

Prog 8: Annie’s Heart

Burmese expatriate Annie Coates juggles a huge load of commitments to her community and family, as she awaits life-changing heart surgery.

Prog 9: A Home for My Girls (Habitat House)

Petronella Nyamangwanda is desperate to find a warm, safe home for her two daughters and seeks the support of Habitat for Humanity – a move that changes their lives forever.

Prog 10: All Hands To The Pump

Carterton volunteer firefighters juggle work, family and regular brigade commitments to compete in a national firefighting competition, being held in their home town.

For more information about this series, or any of our previous broadcast and corporate work, please make use of our contact page.