23 New And Returning Factual Projects To Hold A Mirror Up To New Zealand Society

NZ On Air has announced over $9m of funding for Factual projects that reveal powerful insights about Aotearoa’s past, present and future.

Reviving a much-loved documentary strand, TVNZ 1’s Documentary New Zealand will explore contemporary stories from around New Zealand that reflect the challenges we face as we navigate the complexities of our daily lives.

A Boy Called Piano will tell the story of one Pasifika boy’s experiences alongside thousands of Māori and Pasifika children who suffered abuse in state care. Also for Māori Television, Crown Lynn: A Māori Story examines a time when New Zealand was on the cusp of social and political change, through the eyes of Crown Lynn Pottery’s former Māori employees and their whānau.

Protecting Aotearoa’s unique wildlife and environment will be explored through new series Seasick – Saving the Hauraki Gulf for Stuff and New Zealand’s Most Endangered Species for TVNZ 2.

Patrick Gower will tackle two new important topics in more of the hugely popular Patrick Gower On… series. While the multi-award-winning NZ Wars series brings another chapter – this time the Wairau Affray, considered the first of the New Zealand Wars.

Two podcast series will tackle the patriarchy; Menace will tell the stories of the anarchic radical feminists who put their feet on the accelerator of social change, while Crying At Work will reveal how the levers of power work, and what the real-life consequences are for the women who find themselves in the brutal news cycle.

Comedy star Rose Matafeo will explore the enduring cultural, political, and musical impact of Bob Marley's iconic 1979 concert through the lens of her Rastafarian upbringing, in the documentary When Bob Came.

Continuing the music theme, a documentary will shadow a well-known musician writing and recording their first full te reo Māori language album. And Unruly will follow the creation of a unique opera based around a British family who became known to the NZ public as the 'Unruly tourists.’

Musician and actor Troy Kingi will head offshore to learn the history and legends behind Aotearoa's most interesting islands in Our Other Islands. Heart-warming stories of Kiwis returning home and the challenges they face after years spent abroad will feature in No Place Like Home.

Local favourites Country Calendar, Cold Case, The Check Up, and Changing South will all return to Aotearoa’s screens for another season, alongside two premier televised events, The Aotearoa Music Awards and The Attitude Awards. 

We meet more immigrant whānau having frank conversations in Conversations With My Immigrant Parents 3 and discover more unsung sporting heroes in Scratched: Aotearoa’s Lost Sporting Legends 3 and join Alice Snedden for more Bad News. 

“Every factual project we fund offers audiences in Aotearoa the unique opportunity to step into another’s shoes and understand powerful truths about themselves and our society,” said NZ On Air Head of Funding Amie Mills.

“We are proud to support the talented creatives funded in this latest Factual round to bring their stories to New Zealand audiences on a wide range of platforms they engage with,” she continued.

Funding details

New

Documentary New Zealand 2022, 6 x 44 mins, Storymaker, Honest Bob, Great Southern Television, Octopus Pictures, Eight Productions, Ruckus Media for TVNZ 1, up to $1,311,760. A series of one-off documentaries exploring contemporary stories from around New Zealand.

New Zealand’s Most Endangered Species, 6 x 44 mins, Warner Bros. International Television Production NZ for TVNZ 2, up to $1,018,777. The series takes viewers on a journey of discovery to learn about vulnerable wildlife species facing extinction in Aotearoa.

When Bob Came, 6 x 22 mins, Stella Maris Production for TVNZ OnDemand, up to $472,010. Rose Matafeo explores the enduring cultural, political, and musical impact of Bob Marley's iconic 1979 concert through the lens of her Rastafarian upbringing.

Our Other Islands, 6 x 26 mins, Fire Fire for Māori Television, up to $353,509. Follow Troy Kingi as he goes offshore and explores the history and legends and meets the locals on Aotearoa's most interesting islands.

No Place Like Home, 6 x 10 mins, Trajectory Media for Stuff, up to $251,536. A series of heart-warming stories of Kiwis returning home and the challenges they face after years spent abroad.

Seasick – Saving the Hauraki Gulf, 6 x 12 mins, Republic Films for Stuff, up to $210,000. The Hauraki Gulf is a national treasure under threat. This series aims to educate us on what we can do to help restore the Gulf.

Menace, 4 x 35 mins, Augusto for Stuff, up to $119,548. The stories of the anarchic radical feminists who put their feet on the accelerator of social change.

A Boy Called Piano, 1 x 52 mins, The Conch for Māori Television, up to $135,226. The story of one Pasifika boy and his experiences alongside thousands of Māori and Pasifika children who suffered abuse in state care.

Unruly, 6 x 8 mins, Stuff for Stuff, up to $142,630. Follow the creative process as a unique opera is created based around a British family who became known to the NZ public as the 'Unruly tourists’.

Crown Lynn: A Māori Story, 1 x 52 mins, Mahi Tahi Media for Māori Television, up to $198,525. A documentary viewing New Zealand at a time of social and political change, through the eyes of Crown Lynn Pottery’s former Māori employees and their whānau.

Untitled project, 1 x 80 mins, Monsoon Pictures International for Māori Television, up to $199,000. A documentary following a well-known musician writing and recording their first full te reo Māori language album.

Crying At Work, 18 x 40 mins, Bird of Paradise Productions for Stuff, up to $97,162. A podcast series showing how the levers of power work and what the real-life consequences are for the women who find themselves in the brutal news cycle.

Returning

Cold Case 3, 8 x 44 mins, Screentime for TVNZ 1, up to $1,066,206. A team of experts review and reassess unsolved New Zealand crimes, alongside detectives from the original investigations.

Country Calendar 2022, 40 x 22 mins, TVNZ for TVNZ 1, up to $596,580. Our most iconic series featuring New Zealanders who make their living from the land or sea with a focus on their work, physical surroundings, family and community.

NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau, 1 x 45 mins, Great Southern Television for RNZ and Māori Television, up to $573,914. The next chapter of NZ Wars series tells the story of the Wairau Affray - considered the first of the New Zealand Wars, and the only one to take place in the South Island.

The Checkup 3, 10 x 22 mins, Great Southern Television for TVNZ 1, up to $598,613. A series examining healthcare in New Zealand with stories designed to educate, inform and entertain.

Patrick Gower..., 2 x 44 mins, Ruckus Media for Three, up to $472,335. Two event television documentaries that will see Patrick Gower investigate issues of importance to New Zealanders.

Changing South 4, 22 x 7 mins, Frank Film for Frankfilm.co.nz, up to $392,361. In-depth, contemporary, and accessible stories of national interest from the South.

Alice Snedden’s Bad News 3, 6 x 13 mins, Hex Work Productions for The Spinoff, up to $330,280. Comedian Alice Snedden fearlessly investigates more of Aotearoa’s most important issues, teaming up with experts and fellow comedians to get to the core of our biggest and baddest news.

Aotearoa Music Awards 2021, 1 x 88 mins, TVNZ for TVNZ 2, up to $292,000. A live, two-hour television special to showcase the very best of NZ Music in an exciting, vibrant, and multi-cultural show.

Scratched: Aotearoa’s Lost Sporting Legends 3, 6 x 11 mins, Hex Work Productions for The Spinoff, up to $276,686. From tennis champions to skateboarders, the series celebrates Kiwi sporting heroes who never got their due.

Conversations With My Immigrant Parents 3, 6 x 30 mins + 6 x 8 mins, Uhz for RNZ, up to $169,773. The continuing series meets six more immigrant whānau having frank conversations covering love, ancestry, home, expectation, and acceptance.

The Attitude Awards, 1 x 44 mins, Attitude Pictures for TVNZ 1, up to $189,979. Televised coverage of The Attitude Awards which celebrates Kiwis with disabilities and their achievements.

Terror At Lake Alice (additional), Hihi Media for Stuff, up to $8,495.

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