A Political Game explores an issue whose origins are to be found in the first decades of this century. It is about the battle for the soul of New Zealand, about an affluent period in our history when internationalism was popular and idealism was affordable. In broad brush-strokes we learn the context of rugby, politics and apartheid from 1921 through to 1996 and today. What did we do, and why did we do it? What effect did we have not only on New Zealanders attitudes towards sporting and other contacts with South Africa, but on wider related issues such as New Zealand’s foreign policy? Outside South Africa itself, nowhere was the impact of that country’s racial politics greater than it was in New Zealand. What does this tell us about ourselves? Why was the New Zealand/South Africa rugby connection the subject of such an intense and protracted debate?

Filmed over the 2003 Otago University year, the documentary takes a bird's eye view of student life, making this programme in the style of a wildlife documentary and viewing student life in terms of nesting, feeding, mating and display. The documentary divides its curiosity between first-year students, or "freshers", safe in their supervised accommodation, and the more mature students, who prefer the wild life, out alone, in rented houses and flats, centred round the city's infamous main street of student life, Castle Street. Life for the learner birds seems, at first, to be one long party, as they congregate at the popular student watering holes, but eventually they settle down to study and to concentrate on the challenges of surviving a long, hard winter away from home – and on passing their exams, of course. Conceived, written & produced by Colin Hogg ; directed by Rebecca Mellor.

This documentary marks the anniversary of the bombing of the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior and traces the events surrounding its attack.

Billy Apple: enigma, con man, or artist? Being Billy Apple looks at one of New Zealand's most controversial contemporary artists: a man who changed his name, then turned himself into a brand. Director Leanne Pooley follows Apple's life, and looks at his work in the context of the development of conceptual art overseas. This 70-minute documentary sees Apple talking with the filmmaker about whether it is important his face is even seen on screen.

A moving and candid look at some of the first intake of Maori pre-schoolers into the Kohanga Reo movement during the 1980s.

Life Begins at 70: A documentary in which a reporter joins in the activities of several people over 70-years of age and talks to them about the various sports they play.

Children of well-known New Zealanders discuss what it's like to live in the shadow of their parents. Featuring the children of Donna Awatere-Huata, Barry Crump, Sam Hunt, and Sir Robert Muldoon.

A documentary about author Janet Frame based on the eponymous biography by Michael King. It travels through the familiar Frame themes - her alleged mental illness, family tragedies, overseas stays, how she began writing. Its value, and fresh insight, lies in the interviews with Frame's close friends and key figures in her life. They shed light on her personality and achievements. King in particular provides a considered, often-amusing account of Frame's life. This was his last interview for film; he was killed in a car accident in 2004.

Delve into the hilarious and sometimes solemn subject of Maori humour. We explore what really makes Maori people laugh and who the faces of Maori humour are - both past and present.

A documentary that examines four gifted children in New Zealand; an ice skating champ, a maths genius, a chess whizz and a classical musician and composer.

For many men fatherhood is the most important role they will ever play in their entire life. And like a lot of roles in today's society, that role is changing. From the stern, authoritative and distant father of our fathers, a new man has emerged. Today's dads want to play a bigger part in raising their children. Silently they're reducing hours, juggling shifts or simply quitting work to take on the most important job of their life. Fatherhood. Real Dads revealed explores the changing role of fatherhood in New Zealand by examining the position from the point of view of the hands-on-Dad, and the generations either side of him; daughters, sons and grandfathers share their recollections and opinions. This documentary looks at where our fathers think their parenting role is headed, and what impact the changing role of Fathers is having on our children. It examines the stereotype of the cardy wearing, meek and mild househusband, and reveal dads that have taken the opportunity to play an active role in parenting, covering the whole spectrum of manhood.

Explorers is a documentary series that retraces some of the epic journeys undertaken by our early explorers as they forged their way through unmapped country across New Zealand. Four nineteenth century overland journeys provide the challenge for host Peter Elliott , who swaps the comforts of modern maritime transport, familiar to him during Captains Log, for a pair of sturdy tramping boots. Elliott picks up his backpack and plunges into some of New Zealand's most forbidding and spectacular hinterland to uncover the tracks of four of our pioneering Pakeha explorers: Episode One: Draughtsman, Charles Heaphy Episode Two: Surveyor, Thomas Brunner Episode Three: Gold Prospector, Alpheus J (George) Barrington Episode Four: Missionary, William Colenso .

Fiordland National Park: The largest national park in New Zealand and one of the largest in the world, the park covers the southwest corner of the South Island. The grandeur of its scenery, with its deep fiords, its glacial lakes, its mountains and waterfalls, make it a popular tourist destination.

A documentary about the experiences of five New Zealand women who served with the New Zealand forces during World War II.

This documentary explores life in the New Zealand Army over the past 100 years, with a special emphasis on overseas action it has been involved in, starting with the Boer War.

Parris Goebel is the girl from South Auckland making it on the L.A. music scene, hear her story.

In 2006, Th' Dudes reformed after 26 years. This doco follows them on a national tour as members Peter Urlich, Dave Dobbyn, Ian Morris, Lez White and Bruce Hambling reflect on their former lives as late 70s popstars. Encouraged to behave like stars, they didn't disappoint. There are frank discussions about sex, drugs, an obscene t-shirt, on-stage nudity and other bad behaviour, but also the stories behind classic songs like 'Bliss', 'Right First Time' and 'Be Mine Tonight' which still captivate adoring, if aging, audiences a quarter of a century later.

Artsville brings New Zealand art and artists to the screen with a series of vivid documentaries from a range of the country's best and independent producers, directors and writers. The season premiere, Barefoot Cinema, explores the career and life of renowned Kiwi cinematographer Alun Bollinger. Alun has worked in the New Zealand film industry for 30 years on films including River Queen, Perfect Strangers, The Frighteners, Heavenly Creatures, Vigil and Goodbye Pork Pie.

A history of public broadcasting in NZ through events that were reported live on wireless, including government attempts to jam transmission.

A story of survival, comradeship, celebration, renewal and of course, rugby. Meet the men whose first success was to survive a war that divided a world. Khaki All Blacks is a television documentary that traces the links between war (Boer War through to the Second World War) and rugby.

Explorers is a documentary series that retraces some of the epic journeys undertaken by our early explorers as they forged their way through unmapped country across New Zealand. Four nineteenth century overland journeys provide the challenge for host Peter Elliott, who swaps the comforts of modern maritime transport, familiar to him during Captains Log, for a pair of sturdy tramping boots. Elliott picks up his backpack and plunges into some of New Zealand's most forbidding and spectacular hinterland to uncover the tracks of four of our pioneering Pakeha explorers.

Early Days Yet is a documentary which explores the life of Allen Curnow, who was one of New Zealands greatest writers. Curnow not only won multiple New Zealand book awards and the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, he was also the first person outside of Britain to receive the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. Exploring Allen Curnow's distinguished life and work, this documentary is a portrait of a man who worked on the cutting edge of literature for almost 70 years.

Follows one of New Zealand's most important contemporary sculptors over six months as she develops new work, using a variety of materials and techniques. A series of conversations with Christine provides the narrative for the documentary. While concentrating on current work, Christine also revisits her iconic Country Clothesline (1972). Originally produced for Artsville series.

Seraphine Pick has haunted the New Zealand art world with a constantly changing stream of emotionally charged paintings.This film follows the work and life of this prominent Wellington artist.

Transporting a big circus around the country is a logistical nightmare. See how much organisation is takes for a circus to cross the Cooks Strait.

After living together happily on a dairy farm for sometime, Lucinda and Rob's relationship begins to lose its spark. Seeking advice from her best friend, Drosophilia, Lucinda begins to start a series of minor conflicts which she hopes will stir up the romance in her relationship. But things don't go the way Lucinda expects and soon she's embroiled in a bigger mess than she began with.

The Sisters of Compassion are the only indigenous religious order in New Zealand. Founded in Jerusalem, a Maori settlement on the banks of the Whanganui River in the eighteenth century, the Sisters of Compassion have been at the forefront of social work in New Zealand. The film documents the often radical social work the Sisters have done over the last century.

Interviews this episode: King Kapisi, Hip Hop artist; Lisa Reihana, multi media artist; Kim Martinengo, furniture designer; Stephen Bradbourne, hot glass artist; Corporate art collection; Peter Siddell, painter; Emily Siddell, sculptor; Sylvia Siddell, painter; Andy Leleisi'uao, painter.

Interviews this episode: Shonagh Koea, writer in New Plymouth - reads an extract from "Time For a Killing" and "The really Good Stuff", short stories; Len Lye 1901 - 1980, Sculptor, Filmmaker, Painter, Writer. 2001 is Len Lye's Centenary Year; Sarah Sampson, artist/photographer/ teacher; Rangi Kipa, sculptor/carver and wife Julie Kipa, contemporary painter; Saint Joseph's Church, New Plymouth; Matt Henry and Stark, conceptual (blow it up) artists; Ross Mitchell-Anyon, potter - Whanganui.

Interviews this episode: Alison Quigan, Artistic Director - Counterpoint Theatre; Robert Janke, Sculptor/Art Teacher; Wellington's water fountain, Cuba Mall; Marianne Muggeridge, Painter; Grant Tilly, Actor/Artist/Box Maker; Cloud Boy - Johannes Contag, Musician / Demarnia Lloyd, Song Writer / Craig Monk, Musician

Interviews this episode: Stephen McCarthy, Hannah Beehre and Aaron Beehre, musicians from band Pine; Heather Straka, artist; Bing Dawe, sculptor; "The Clinic": Anastasia Dailianis, director/performer; Adam Hayward, conceptualist; Haydn Kerr, director/performer; Philip Trusttum, painter.

Interviews this episode: Jim Cooper, artist "New Skin" thesis research; Ann Culy, artist -Lure; Rainer Beneke, artist - Lure; Hone Tuwhare, poet; Deborah Wai-Kapohe, soprano; Sue Mclaughlin and Nigel Brown, artist.

Interviews this episode: Jacqueline Fahey - Painter; Yuk King Tan - Pyrotechnic Sculptor; Lucid 3 - Music; John Reynolds - Painter; Bushell's Sign - Chat Piece; Natalie Robertson - Photographer/video.

In the premiere episode, Dougal Stevenson looks at the 1960s - a decade of tragic disasters, social change as air travel opportunities opened up, sporting gold and Beatlemania! 1960s - The Decade in News: It was a decade of disasters – the Strongman Mine explosion killed 19, 23 died in our worst domestic civil aviation accident in 1963; 29 died when the MV Kaitawa was lost at sea, an earthquake devastated Inangahua, and of course there was the Wahine sinking. In the crime world, George Wilder became an unlikely folk hero with three prison breaks, while we were shocked by the Basset Road machine gun murders. But there were highlights too… the Lawson quins born in ’65, Brian Barratt Boyes performs our first open heart surgery, the six o’clock swill ends and we change to decimal currency.

The Vietnam War, French nuclear testing and the Dawn Raids, Land Marches and oil shocks, the 70s were a tumultuous time. The Crewe murders, Mr Asia and the ongoing mystery of Mona Blades disappearance would mark the decade in crime, while the death of Big Norm would see the election of the most divisive Prime Minister in our history, Robert Muldoon. Britain joins the EEC meaning our role as her larder was in danger, the Cold War saw Bill Sutch charged with spying for the Russians, while Colin Moyle resigned as an MP over homosexual rumours.

Biographer Michael King takes us through the life of pioneering writer Frank Sargeson: from puritanical parents to self-discovery in London, through to decades encouraging an emerging tide of New Zealand writers. The documentary's most priceless moments are the tales told when four of those writers return to Sargeson's fabled fibrolite bach, in Takapuna. Kevin Ireland calls it an "oasis, this marvellous place where books ruled supreme". Sargeson's purposefully minimalistic writing style, the documentary argues, helped NZ literature find its own voice.

This documentary allowed sufferers and their families to tell their personal stories in the daily battle against anorexia nervoa and bulimia nervosa; the signs, the struggles, the guilt, and the long road to recovery. This documentary shows anorexia is not a state of mind that can be turned off and on at will. This illness can, and does, happen to anyone. No galmourising of thinness, no using of skeletal forms; just ordinary New Zealand families caught in the grip of this tenacious, complex and often fatal illness. Dying to Eat explores the complexity of the illness, the importance of early treatment and reinforces the need for community support, understanding, and openness.

1960s - Social Trends: New Zealand started off the 60s as a quiet farming nation with our own holy trinity of rugby, racing and beer . But overseas travel became more possible by air, and we became increasingly influenced by overseas – our first American style shopping mall opened in 1963, wine began being served in restaurants legally (The Gourmet on Shortland St). Maori were increasingly moving to the city from the country, as were a lot of other people, and when the wool prices collapsed in 1967, unemployment grew, pushing more people the city… dissatisfaction with the golden era would grow, we’d see the protest movement start to grow, and James K Baxter forming Jerusalem.

More like the good old days, when poets went on school tours. Does that happen anymore, or is everyone too busy doing tests? Here's a gem from 1979 that follows Sam Hunt, Alistair Campbell, Hone Tuwhare and Jan Kemp on a six -week tour around the country performing in halls and schools.

60s - Big Event – The Wahine: There was no single event that would remain imprinted on our collective consciousness from this decade like the sinking of the Wahine. The loss of life from a single event (53) was unparalleled in New Zealand during the 60s, and the image of the listing ferry off the coast of Wellington is a powerful symbol.

1960s - Sports & Leisure: Peter Snell got the decade off to a good start with a gold at Rome, and topped it off with a double in Tokyo in 1964, while Bob Charles and Denny Hulme both got world attention in their respective pursuits. Our outdoorsy, rural heritage was still front of mind though, and the sixties saw New Zealand establish the Golden Shears competition in 1961, Outward Bound was set up in 1962. We even had our own crack at a vehicle for the great outdoors, the kiwi made Trekka rolled off the production line in 1966.

1960s - Entertainment: Television would open New Zealand to the world, while the world would come to New Zealand. Beatlemania would hit hard with the band themselves making it here in 1964, while our very own mop-haired ravers Ray Colombus and the Invaders penned their answer to Twist & Shout that same year. Kiri te Kanawa gets her big break on the Mobil Song Quest while John Rowles breaks into the UK Top 10. By 1966 we had our own music show, C’Mon, but the Government’s firm control over the Radio Waves would send the pirates out into the Hauraki Gulf to have their music played.

1970s - Entertainment: John Rowles introduced the decade with his best known contribution to our musical landscape, Cheryl Moana Marie, but he was soon eclipsed by the voices of the 70s, the protest singers like Jon Hanlon and Shona Laing, before the emergence of rockers like Hello Sailor, Th’ Dudes and Sharon O’Neill. But TV was the star, going colour in 1973, TV2 arriving in 1975, and childhood classics such as Play School, Spot On, Nice One Stu and Hey Hey It’s Andy – in the evening we sat down to our own fare, Pukemanu, Close to Home, and Fair Go.

1970s - Social Trends: Protests and big social change were the social characteristics of the 70s. Maori were finding their voice and demanding what was theirs through the Land Marches and Bastion Point occupation. We protested racist rugby tours, dams, nuclear warship visits and the Vietnam war, and ended the Dawn Raids against Pacific Island overstayers. At the same time, significant institutions were formed, institutional safety nets like the DPB and ACC, and the Waitangi Tribunal, which would shape the kind of country we were to become.

1970s - Big Event - Erebus: Just as the Wahine had cast a cloud over the end of the 1960s, so the Erebus air disaster would do to the 1970s, with the single greatest loss of life of New Zealanders outside of wartime (one more than the Napier earthquake). But the impact of the loss of life was compounded over the subsequent questions as to who was or wasn’t at fault, the Mahon inquiry, and an apology finally issued by Air New Zealand decades later.

The 80s saw forestry strikes and anti-nuclear protests, as well as the most divisive demonstrations we’ve seen with the Springbok Tour. We were shocked by bombings of the Trades Hall in Wellington and the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, delighted by a visit from the Pope and the first successful heart transplant.

1970s - Sports & Recreation: Our rowing 8 won gold at Munich in 1972, but in 1974 it was Christchurch’s chance to shine as the host of the Commonwealth Games – the city transformed as everyone ‘Joined Together’. New Zealand had an unusual role at the Montreal Olympics in 1976, sparking 26 African nations to boycott over our rugby ties with South Africa – John Walker had a clear run to a gold medal, and our hockey team won gold too. 1978 was a true milestone for our colonial nation though, our first cricket win against England, at the Basin Reserve. But protest would continue against racist tours in and by South Africa… setting the scene for the Springbok Tour in the 1980s.

80s - Societal Change: The 80s was a decade of massive social upheaval. From the locked-down economy of Rob Muldoon, to the massive transformation of David Lange’s 1984 Government, Rogernomics, Homosexual law reform - and even weekend retail trading. At the same time the stock market was a license to print money, until it all came tumbling down...

80s - Sports & Leisure: While the Springbok Tour didn’t get the 80s off to the best possible start, we had plenty to celebrate later on that decade. The very next year in fact, we were glad to support the non-controversial All Whites as they made their first ever appearance at the Football World Cup. Five years later it was time to rehabilitate rugby in the eyes of the public, as we hosted the first Rugby World Cup - and claimed the trophy as our own.

90s - Entertainment: Often unsure about exactly who we were as a nation, the 1990s saw New Zealand culture at the fore. Shortland Street was “kiwi as” from the outset, and has been a juggernaut of local production ever since. The 90s was also the era of the game shows, from Sale of the Century, to Wheel of Fortune and Blind Date - overseas formats, that we took and made distinctly our own.