NZ whaler doco 
The BBC is making a documentary about ex-Royal New Zealand Montague Whaler, the Essex which sunk in the South Pacific in 1819 whilst chasing an aggressive sperm whale. The Essex was twice rammed, the second blow knocking crew-members aboard the ship off their feet and fatally holing the ship below the waterline. Years later, the almost unbelievable story, including the surviving crew's attempt at reaching South America, was recounted to Herman Melville who used the true story as the basis for Moby Dick. 
(29 February 2008)

In London cinemas 
Duncan Sarkies' 2006 movie Out of the Blue - a dramatic reconstruction of the 1990 Aramoana massacre - is showing in London this week and continues to receive favourable reviews. The Guardian says the film "opens with a swell of tension as the town goes about its business in the hours before the killing, making for unbearably intimate viewing." While the Observer calls it "a memorable account of a community uniting under pressure." View London says Out of the Blue is one of the best films of the year. "Robert Sarkies' direction is nothing short of astonishing ... a remarkable film that succeeds as both a gripping thriller, a terrifying urban horror story and a profoundly moving testament to a real-life tragedy. Highly recommended." 
(16 March 2008)

Vintner role for Paikea 
New Zealand actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, has begun filming The Vintner's Luck, based on Elizabeth Knox's novel of the same name and directed by Niki Caro. Castle-Hughes told the New Zealand Herald she was initially nervous playing her first adult role. "But now I'm really looking forward to it. It is going to be a challenge, but I love challenges," the 18-year-old said. She plays the vintner's wife, Céleste opposite Belgian actor Jeremie Renier. Best known for her role as Paikea in Caro's 2002 Whale Rider, Castle-Hughes was at the recent Berlin Film Festival promoting Australian comedy Hey Hey It's Esther Blueberger.
(19 February 2008)

Tour of Auckland 
The Flight of the Conchord's manager Murray Hewitt, Aucklander Rhys Darby, introduces the Guardian's Sarah Bourn to New Zealand's largest city and his favourite place, One Tree Hill. "I used to go there a lot as a kid: my Mum would take me up there and I'd do the skateboard track, and then she'd let me loose for a couple of hours and I'd run with the sheep," Darby explains. He gets his bearings from the Sky Tower and heads to Ponsonby Pies for a steak and cheese. Formerly a soldier, Darby performed his first solo comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival in 2002, after which he moved to the UK. His next big role is as Jim Carrey's boss in the upcoming film, Yes Man.
(15 March 2008)

Portable stories 
Wellington production company Gibson Group's made-for-mobile drama series My Story has been purchased by French conglomerate Lagardère Group from ohm:tv, a Cologne-based developer and distributer of TV formats, programmes and mobile phone content. Produced by Gibson Group and created specifically for the smaller screens, on mobile phones and the Internet, My Story is a two-minute mystery drama series that follows a group of 18-year-old idealists - Clare, Kat, Vina and Isaac - who are just out of high school. My Story was launched in New Zealand in April 2007 and internationally in October 2007 at Cannes. Rights have also been sold to Austrian mobile Mobilkom. Ohm:tv's director of digital media operator Sebastian Burkhardt said: "Apart from its innovative cross-platform concept, the strength of My Story lies in the fact that it has been created to production values formerly only associated with TV and film." 
(11 March 2008)

Ngati filmmaker dies 
Barry Barclay, New Zealand film director and the first Maori to direct a feature film has died, aged 63, in Rawene. Barclay's Ngati won best film at Italy's Taormina Film Festival in 1987 and screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He also wrote and directed Te Rua, a fictional story about a group of Maori who set off for a Berlin museum to claim back tribal carvings. New Zealand Film Commission chief executive Dr Ruth Harley said Barclay holds an honored place in New Zealand film. "His legacy will be not only in his films and creative work but also in his outstanding contribution to the development of New Zealand film though his support for developing filmmakers," Harley said. Barclay was made a Member of the Order of New Zealand in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours and was appointed one of New Zealand's Artist Laureates in 2004, in recognition of his contributions to cinema. Barclay was of Ngati Apa descent and lived at Omapere in the Far North's Hokianga district. 
(19 February 2008)