Independent Doco Heads For National Release And International Festival, Following Local Box Office Success

A film framed around two of New Zealand’s most famous architects is hitting 30 cinemas across Aotearoa New Zealand on September 5, following rave reviews and extended theatre runs in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

MAURICE AND I is a richly told, brilliantly edited story that unveils the personal dynamic between Sir Miles Warren and his architectural partner, Maurice Mahoney. Leveraging Sir Miles’ charisma and flair alongside Maurice’s understated attention to detail, the pair brought modernism to Christchurch and brutalism to New Zealand.

Of the thousands of homes and commercial buildings they designed, one changed the world. With the acoustic innovations of Sir Harold Marshall, the Christchurch Town Hall revolutionised the design approach to performance spaces and acoustic engineering and became a favourite venue for some of the globe’s biggest stars. The Christchurch Town Hall was regarded by many, including the architects themselves, as their finest work. Internationally renowned for its elegant, brutalist form and sophisticated interiors, and world-leading acoustics.

So when the government’s post-quake plan threatened to demolish this icon, Sir Miles and Maurice Mahoney (then in their 80s) joined hundreds of others to fight for its survival.

Through rare archival footage and exclusive interviews, including their final conversation together, MAURICE AND I reflects on the remarkable legacy of Warren & Mahoney, the community impact of their bold architectural vision, and the enduring importance of architecture in shaping and enriching our lives.

Co-directed by Jane Mahoney, the film is a love letter from a daughter to her father, a celebration of community, a tribute to the loss and trauma that a city lived through, and a cautionary tale of the social and environmental cost of a government-led ‘fast-tracking’ imperative.

The film enjoyed a successful, limited release as part of the *Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival* in May ‘24. It has been running in Christchurch theatres since then - smashing box office records to become the highest grossing film ever at the Deluxe Cinemas. In October, the directors will take it international to show at the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam - one of the world’s most prestigious architecture film festivals.

Audiences at home have been captivated by the documentary from day one. Directors Rick Harvie and Jane Mahoney (daughter of the late architect, and 'title character', Maurice Mahoney) have had their inboxes flooded with response from cinema-goers.

“A triumph of yin and yang,” said one. “The restraint and the extravagance, Miles and Maurice, funny and serious, sad and joyous. It’s a marvel.”

“The most impressive thing I’ve seen and experienced for as long as I can remember,” declared another. “My eyes wouldn’t stop leaking… Everyone should see it.”

DIRECTOR BIOS

**RICK HARVIE** foundedBelmont Productionsin 2000, and has produced and directed a variety of broadcast and corporate documentaries, commercials and music videos -most notablyResume Play ‘14, A Place to Remember’16 andLen Lye: Master of Motion’23. Rick is driven by a keeninterest in the human condition, combining his passion for storytelling with a strong interest in the visual and performing arts, music and architecture.

**JANE MAHONEY** has spent almost three decades working in story-telling industries – initially as producer and co-owner of Bannan Films, a production company specialising in producing cinematic, story-based TV commercials throughout Asia and Australasia. In the years following the Christchurch earthquakes, Jane worked as a Marketing and Communications Advisor for CERA, the government agency tasked with overseeing the region’s rebuild and recovery - the same agency that proposed the demolition of the iconic Christchurch Town Hall.

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