Archive >> February 2007

Comic success stories

Taika Waititi’s debut feature Eagle vs Shark has won the award for best screenplay at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Colorado. The film, which also screened…

World First for Scary Mary

Papamoa’s “Scary” Mary Perkins is the first woman in history to tour with freestyle motocross legends the Crusty Demons. The 24-year-old is currently the world’s number one female freestyler and holds…

Lyrical minimalism in Aotearoa

The latest instalment in US artist Chip Hooper’s ongoing series of ocean photographs is New Zealand’s South Pacific and Tasman Sea. Hooper’s solo exhibition of silver prints opens on…

Te Matatini: “It Really is That Good”

Australian journalist Bruce Elder spent two weeks in NZ writing a travel blog – TrampaboutNZ – for the Sydney Morning Herald. The highlight of his tour was the Te…

Finn welcomes world to his kingdom

Tim Finn has embarked on a tour of the UK and Europe to promote his latest solo album, Imaginary Kingdom. Finn wrote most of the album in NZ,…

Stretching the Limits

Bungy pioneer AJ Hackett is to mark the 20th anniversary of his historic Eiffel Tower jump with a new world record attempt. In Kuala Lumpur later this year, the…

Funny man finds his feet

In just over a decade, Hawera-born comedian Alan Brough has established himself as one of Australia’s most popular talents. Since moving to Melbourne in 1995, Brough has appeared in…

Another Red Destined for Greatness

Observer wine critic Tim Atkins calls Hawke’s Bay Syrah “one of the most exciting wine styles I’ve tasted in the past five years.” The red varietal makes up just 3% of…

Traditional Maori Waiata

A family performs a traditional Maori waiata.

Monster Haul

A NZ fishing crew has caught an adult colossal squid, one of the world’s most aggressive and mysterious predators. The 450kg monster, with eyes the size of dinner plates and razor-sharp…

Auckland Prof Named UN Science Laureate

Auckland University professor Margaret Brimble has been named one of the world’s top five woman scientists by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). As Laureate for the Asia-Pacific region,…

Playboy Bunny Turned Property Mogul

New Zealander Sandra Costa is co-owner and designer of new LA super-club Tatou. The 35,000 sq ft space features state-of-the-art sound and lighting, 45 plasma screens, a 40 ft stage, private VIP…

Black Caps Victorious

Three famous victories in a row have seen the Black Caps complete a “black-wash” of the world champion Australians and claim the Chappell-Hadlee series. Over a period of six days the…

Teen Actors on Global Stage

Disney fantasy film Bridge to Terabithia has thrust four teenage New Zealand actors into the limelight. The film, which features Carly Owen (pictured), Isabelle-Rose Kircher and Cameron…

Web celeb Rose turns to cinema

NZ actress Jessica Rose – who found fame on YouTube as lonelygirl15 – has made her first foray into Hollywood, starring alongside tabloid queen Lindsay Lohan in the…

Altitude with Attitude

Whare Kea Lodge – the “ultimate mountain hut” – featured in the Observer’s dream travel series. The luxury lodge is located at 5,600ft in the South Island’s Buchanan mountain range. Observer:…

Ten Years of Te Reo

Te Kohanga Reo o Ranana in London is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The centre was established in 1997 by a group of parents who wanted their…

Landmark Brain Research

A joint discovery by NZ and Swedish neuroscientists could potentially revolutionise the study of the human brain. The eight-year collaboration has succeeded in finding the path adult neural stem cells travel…

Air New Zealand’s Wines Fly High

Air New Zealand’s premium on board wine selection has been recognised as one of the best in the world. UK Business Traveller magazine named Air New Zealand the winner of three…

Tribute Song to Alan MacDiarmid

An entertaining tribute song to Nobel prizewinner Alan MacDiarmid.

NZ Scientists Solve Pigeon Puzzle

Scientists at Auckland University have solved the enduring mystery of homing pigeons. “We are now confident that pigeons … use the intensity of the Earth’s magnetic field to determine position during…

National Youth Choir: God Defend New Zealand

The New Zealand National Youth Choir sings God Defend New Zealand.

Miracle Escape

A NZ skydiver has survived a 3600m fall after his parachute became entangled. Michael Holmes, 25, filmed his fall with a helmet camera as he spiralled out of control…

Text Polling a Hit in US

Auckland mobile marketing company Txstation has established a strong presence in the US, providing real-time audience polling for the National Basketball Association, Fox News and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Txtstation’s technology allows…

Trailer: The World’s Fastest Indian

Not Your Average Winery

Americans can finally appreciate the work of artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser on home soil, with the opening of the Quixote Winery in California’s Napa Valley. Owner Carl Doumani commissioned the…

World Firsts for NZ Ref

North Canterbury’s Nicky Inwood made history this month as the first woman to officiate in a Six Nations women’s rugby match and the first to referee at England’s Twickenham Stadium. The…

Everest Round Two

NZ innovation could conquer Everest for a second time thanks to the invention of an unmanned helicopter capable of rescuing stricken climbers from its summit. Auckland-based company TGR Helicorp has spent…

Political Force Remembered

Auckland-born Leo McCarthy, a prominent figure in Californian state politics, has died of a kidney ailment aged 76. A lifelong Democrat, McCarthy was the state assembly speaker from 1974-80…

Scribe Performs at Big Day Out

New Zealand hip-hop star Scribe performs at the 2007 Big Day Out in Sydney.

Cash Versus Creativity

Auckland-raised author Fay Weldon mourns the death of literary creativity in a passionate column for The Times. “Time was when popularity was the mark of artistic failure,” she complains,…

South Pacific literati

Five NZ writers are finalists for this year’s Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, one of the most prestigious  literary awards. Ocean Roads by James George, Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones and…

A Great Mind Remembered

NZ Nobel laureate, Alan Graham MacDiarmid, has died in Philadelphia aged 79. Professor MacDiarmid won the 2000 Nobel Prize in chemistry for his joint discovery that some…

Northern Delights

Vancouver’s North Shore News featured a travel special on NZ’s North Island. In the Bay of Islands, the writer used the Eagles Nest villa complex as a luxurious base for sailing…

Bic Runga: Sway

Bic Runga performs Sway.

NZ connection in artUS

ArtUS magazine featured reviews of two exhibitions by NZ artists in its February edition: Michael Parekowhai at Sydney’s Roslyn Oxley Gallery and Simon Reece’s High Tide …

Fred Dagg: Front Fell Off

The iconic Fred Dagg in ‘Front Fell Off’.

Ex-Neighbour a Star in US

Dunedin-born Alan Dale has scored a lead role in yet another hit US TV series. Fresh from his success in The West Wing, CSI: Miami and The O.C, Dale…

Premium Export

An ABC Radio report on Wellington’s Pinot Noir festival credits the grape’s – and NZ wine in general’s – explosion in popularity in the US to the success of 2004 indie…

Medal Haul for Touch Blacks

NZ won two gold and two silver medals at last month’s Touch World Cup in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Touch Blacks’ mixed over-30 and mixed open teams won their respective…

New Zealander of the Year

Wellington architect Jonathan Rennie was named New Zealander of the Year at the annual NZ Society Waitangi Day dinner in London. The award recognises an outstanding contribution by…

A Wallflower No Longer

Auckland digital signage company Wallflower Global has been purchased by Thailand’s Global Satellite Broadcasting Corporation (GSBC) for US $20 million. Since its inception four years ago, Wallflower has become the…

Silver Lining to Climate Change Cloud

NZ has the potential to adapt to climate change more effectively than its neighbours, according to the government and global warming experts. Despite being home to just 0.06 per cent of…

Designer of the Moment

NZ fashion newcomer Cybèle Wiren (of label Cybèle) has caught the attention of international media with her Winter 2007 “Blue Blood” collection, first shown at last year’s Air New…

Tourists Flock to Favourite Destination

According to new figures released by Statistics NZ a record 2.4 million tourists visited NZ last year – 1.6 per cent more than in 2005. The number was boosted by…

“A Country Waiting to be Explored”

South Africa’s Cape Times features a travel special on NZ, with a focus on Auckland and Wellington. ” is not difficult to see what makes NZ attractive, both as a holiday…

This is NZ: Take two

A NZ film made over 30 years ago has won an award at the prestigious New York Festivals Film and Video Competition. This is NZ was originally…

A New Sheriff in Town

Russell Crowe has signed for US$20 million to play the Sheriff of Nottingham in a “revisionist” version of the Robin Hood story. Titled Nottingham, the Hollywood film will follow…

Bro’ Town goes global

With a slew of national awards under its belt, NZ animation series Bro’ Town is now taking its unique brand of humour to a world audience. The cartoon is…

Morgan Trades Up

TradeMe founder Sam Morgan was profiled in the February issue of Australian Financial Review Boss magazine. In 1999, the then 23-year-old Wellingtonian launched NZ’s e-commerce success story, which was recently purchased…