9 Sep 2021

Loading Docs 2021: Wind Song and Rain

From Loading Docs 2021 (Season 8), 6:00 am on 9 September 2021

Series Classification: G (General Programmes)

Hone Tuwhare, New Zealand’s most famous Māori poet, leaves a legacy to the granddaughter he left behind. To reconnect, she writes a love letter to the world.  

A national treasure whose poetry spanned over 40 years, the world knew Hone Tuwhare. His mokopuna Manaia never did. Now 18 years old, Manaia feels her koro calling her, triggering an emotional journey of connection in te reo Māori to prove there’s another Tuwhare who writes poetry.

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Photo: Fred Renata

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Photo: Fred Renata

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Photo: Annupam Singh

Team Bios

Matariki Bennett (Director)

Matariki Bennett

Matariki Bennett Photo: Supplied

Matariki Bennett (Te Arawa, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is a 2019 South Seas Film and Television School graduate with a Diploma in Screen Production, majoring in Screenwriting and Drama Directing.

Matariki has written for ‘Ahikāroa’, co written and directed 'From the Mist' - a short film for a TVNZ anthology and she has been a contributor to various story tables.

Matariki’s short film, ‘Tōku Reo’ (2019), debuted at the 2020 Wairoa Māori Film Festival. Matariki is a member of the Spoken Word group, Ngā Hine Pūkōrero and, in 2021, the group were honoured with the Creative New Zealand Ngā Manu Pirere Award, recognising outstanding emerging Māori artists.

Rachel Fawcett (Producer)

Rachel Fawcett

Rachel Fawcett Photo: Supplied

Rachel Fawcett is a Kiwi producer of Chinese descent. She began her career as co-producer of ‘Friday Night Bites’ (season 2), working with Roseanne Liang and the Flat3 team.

She has since served as associate producer on the Catalyst-funded short, ‘Impossible’, and was the sole producer on Steven Chow’s short thriller, ‘Munkie’, starring Xana Tang. She recently produced ‘Wind Song and Rain’ as part of Notable Pictures’ Loading Docs initiative.

She is currently developing a number of short films, plus a feature script for ‘Munkie’. Her focus is on telling diverse female-led stories.

Wind Song and Rain is part of a collection of eight Loading Docs short documentaries.

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Photo: Supplied

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