Michelle Savill

Inside New Zealand - Lost Hippy Commune - The Last Man of Mahana Documentary

Hidden at the very top of New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula and accessible only by off-road track is the Mahana commune. Founded in 1978, for nearly 40 years its inhabitants have been elusive. Their story has gone largely unreported. But now, parts of the utopian dream are turning sour. We visit Arthur, one of the remaining members of Mahana, to learn about his reclusive life, his battles with other residents, and his hopes of seeing the valley returned to its past glory.

Explorer

Deep in the suburbs, a troubled and obsessive man waits for signs of alien life from the skies. Instead, he finds new meaning in the empty rooms of his family home—and travels into his own inner space.

Stevo

Stevo is an observational documentary about a charismatic Māori security guard who lives between two worlds. Rooted firmly in his culture, Stevo Winiata divides his time between a tiny mid-city apartment and his family home on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana in the remote rainforests of Te Urewera deep in the north island of New Zealand. The film follows Stevo as he prepares for his next trip to Te Urewera. As he collects discarded city junk and transforms it into valuable household essentials, and trades trout for cab rides and wild pork for coffee sacks, Stevo builds a web of community and engagement in a unique, utterly appealing way. Stevo’s alternative economy draws on tradition but is perfectly suited to a modern world rent with economic and environmental hardships. This is an uplifting portrait of an inspiring, irresistible and finely adapted 21st century man.