Kell Fowler
Crew
Known For
This 1981 NFU film is a tour of the contemporary world of Aotearoa’s tangata whenua. It won headlines over claims that its portrayal of Māori had been sanitised for overseas viewers. Debate and a recut ensued. Writer Witi Ihimaera felt that mentions of contentious issues (Bastion Point, the land march) in his original script were ignored or elided in the final film, and withdrew from the project. He later told journalists that the controversy showed that educated members of minority groups were no longer prepared to let the majority interpret the minority view.
Māori

A documentary about the history of settler groups that came to New Zealand from Europe.
New Country - New People

A documentary following the attempt by three young people to be the first windsurfers to cross Cook Strait.
Surf Sail

The movie that wowed audiences at Expo 70. The film combined scenic images including aerial cinematography with rousing classical music such as Sibelius' Karelia Suite. Using then ground-breaking technology, the film required three separate but synchronised 35mm film projectors which projected their images onto an extra-wide screen. In 2004/2005 Archives New Zealand commissioned a restoration at post production facility, Park Road Post. Hugh Macdonald, the original director, was involved in the restoration and Kit Rollings, the original sound mixer assisted with the updated soundtrack. The remastered film was released for sale on DVD in 2014.
This Is New Zealand

A short documentary tracking the transportation of New Zealand products into ports in the Philippines, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, with a focus on cultural differences and economic opportunities.
Over the Sea and Near Away

Welcome to Expo '70 in Osaka Japan, with 70 plus countries showing what they are made of. This National Film Unit documentary combines an overview of the expo, with a closer look at the New Zealand presence.
This is Expo

140 Days Under the World is a 1964 New Zealand short documentary film about Antarctica. It depicts one summer's work by New Zealand scientists in the Ross Dependency in the Antarctic and the exploration of some of the last unmapped regions. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.