Stone Street Studios to Produce Pete’s Dragon
Walt Disney has confirmed that production of Pete’s Dragon, a remake of the 1977 film and starring Robert Redford, will be based at Peter Jackson’s Stone Street Studios. The live-action and CGI film…
November 2014 Archives
Storyteller Wayne Mills Celebrates Reading with Kids’ Lit Quiz
In a quaint old theatre in Falmouth, Cornwall, a tall gentleman in a top hat stands facing the stage, like a conductor. The man is not just the ringmaster and question-setter for the
How New Zealand Nearly Ditched the Haka
An exclusive Telegraph report reveals that in 2004 many All Blacks felt the haka was no longer appropriate, and how management and senior players ensured it was maintained. The choreography itself was not a problem;…
Maori Martial Arts Rule the Big Screen in The Dead Lands
Matthew Metcalfe’s feature film The Dead Lands, shot entirely in Te Reo Maori and the first to showcase the ancient Maori martial art mau rakau, is due for official worldwide release early next year. The…
Peter Jackson to Get Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
New Zealand filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ahead of the release of his new film The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Jackson…
UFC 180: A Sit-Down With Mark Hunt
Before UFC 180, New Zealand born heavyweight mixed martial artist Mark Hunt, known as the ‘Super Samoan’, discusses his amazing comeback story, his long journey in combat sports, the…
WWII Spy Phyllis Doyle Receives France’s Highest Honour
Ninety-three-year-old former British secret agent Phyllis Latour Doyle, who lives in New Zealand, has received France’s highest decoration for her courage – 70 years after parachuting behind enemy lines in preparation for D-Day. Motivated in…
Artist Max Gimblett to Conquer London with Love
One of New Zealand’s most renowned and successful contemporary artists, Max Gimblett will be the subject of his first solo exhibition in the UK, “Love Conquers All,” at Kashya Hildebrand…
Orphans & Kingdoms Trailer
In writer/director Paolo Rotondo’s debut feature, three teenagers on the run break into a deluxe Waiheke Island home and find themselves caught in a tense psychodrama with the conflicted…
Ironman Legend Cameron Brown Legs It in Taiwan
New Zealand ironman legend Cameron Brown has won the Ironman 70.3 Taiwan, an international professional half ironman triathlon competition that took place in early November. Brown, who has won 10 Ironmen titles in New Zealand,…
New Zealand Travel Secrets
“Travel Enthusiast” Tom McLoughlin of The Huffington Post discusses his top three travel secrets from his tour of New Zealand. “The world’s finest adventure playground with sweeping mountain panoramas, bright white beaches, unbelievable city skylines;…
Catherine Bell at TEDxAuckland
Catherine Bell’s mission in life is to inspire people to cook and eat simple, good food. A passionate foodie and Dish Magazine co-founder, Catherine is behind the Garden to…
Lorde’s NYC A&R Man’s Lucky Day
How does a teenager from Devonport, Auckland get plucked from relative obscurity to become a worldwide chart-topping phenomenon? Once-in-a-generation talent helps, but those gifts need to be paired with music execs who have the…
Estere – Reptilian Journey
Wellington based singer, songwriter and beat-maker Estere is turning heads with her soul infused tracks, and is proving to be a one-of-a-kind performer, quickly making her mark on the…
Rosie Project Author Graeme Simsion Plans Third Novel
Author of hit novel The Rosie Project, New Zealand-born Graeme Simsion, 58, says he envisages a third novel with an uncontracted fourth novel on the drawing board. The book, about an eccentric man in want…
Valerie Adams is World Athlete of the Year
Shot putter Valerie Adams, unbeaten since August 2010, has been named female World Athlete of the Year for 2014, the first New Zealander to win the award. Two-time Olympic champion Adams, who this season enjoyed…
Estère – the New Face of Soul Music
An example of soul music’s possible future is 22-year-old New Zealander Estère, who recently played at the annual Australian World Music Expo (AWME) in Melbourne. The Wellington-based bedroom artist – she literally writes and records…
Living a Kiwi Life – Ep.22 – Rere Rockslide – Epic Waterfall Slip and Slide
In this episode the couple took on the Rere Rockslide, the worlds most amazing and unbelieveable natural slip and slide! With a coating of moss over a 60 meter…
Tongariro Crossing One of the World’s Best One Day Walks
“Believe the hype.” Andrew Bain writes about the Tongariro Crossing for Traveller magazine, in a list of eleven of the world’s best walks you can do in one day. “Regularly billed as the best day…
Noosa Gets Its Rhythm on with Drummer Nathaniel Combs
Waikiri-born percussionist Nathaniel Combs, 31, has played with world-famous ensembles such as Les Percussion de Guinea, Les Visage de Guinee, and the prestigious Kaloum Lole during time spent in Guinea, West Africa in 2004. Now,…
Maori Culture Experience in New Zealand
Rotorua is recognized as the Maori cultural centre of New Zealand, and there are many reasons to visit, Mike Watt explains for the Epoch Times. “For well over 100 years an infusion of culture has…
Lorraine Moller Extols Lydiard Technique in Canada
Four-time Olympian and multi-marathon champion Lorraine Moller visits the Canadian city of Saanich for three days in November to teach the famed Arthur Lydiard method of run training. The philosophy is widely used among elite…
NZ Welcomes China’s President in Style
“They say you can’t beat Wellington on a good day and that’s exactly what greeted China’s president in the New Zealand capital,” writes Jacqueline Le for The Daily Telegraph. President Xi Jinping, along with his…
Equine Artist Peter Willams a Kentucky Fixture
New Zealander Peter Williams is the resident artist at Keeneland racecourse in Kentucky, a gentleman with an easel, canvas and palette of paints quietly working as the pageantry of the meet swirls around him,…
STIHL: Mercy Dash Ad
Continuing their story of two bickering brothers who desire to have their fathers chainsaw STIHL have created this very funny ad of just how far one man will go…
New Zealand Scientists Discover Ancient Toothless Whale
Scientists from the University of Otago have discovered two previously unknown ancient whale species, rewriting the history of marine mammals in the Southern Hemisphere. The 25 million year old whales, dubbed Tohoraata raekohao and Tohoraata waitakiensis, translating…
New Zealand to Rural Iceland – Extreme Commute
Every year, several dozen butchers make a lengthy commute – from provincial New Zealand to rural Iceland – for just two months’ work. Shawn Parkinson (pictured, far left), one of the butchers, explains that the…
The Z-Nail Gang Official Trailer
Inspired by actual (and unbelievably crazy) events that took place in the Coromandel during the 1980s, The Z-Nail gang is an inspiring story that leads its audience on a…
Lorde’s ‘Hunger Games’ Soundtrack
The Wall Street Journal’s John Jurgensen reviews the soundtrack Lorde curated for the latest blockbuster Hunger Games movie, in an article titled “How Lorde Played God on the ‘Hunger Games’ Soundtrack’.” ““The Hunger Games” has another…
Luke Nola at TEDxAuckland
Adman-turned-filmmaker Luke Nola turned his back on a successful advertising career to follow his passion for making things, and created the multi-award-winning reality TV series Let’s Get Inventin’, featuring…
Waikato Gang Tribal Huks Feeding Hungry Kids
Ngaruawahia gang Tribal Huks has been making approximately 500 sandwiches daily and dropping them off at 25 local Waikato schools, just as American gangs have responded similarly in the past, according to a Christian…
New Zealand, Germany to Cooperate in Bionic Arm Project
Scientists from New Zealand and Germany are to collaborate in developing a bionic joint they say will reduce workplace injuries and help people disabled by strokes. The exoskeleton a machine fitting over the outside of…
Benny Tipene – Step On Up
New Zealand singer/songwriter Benny Tipene has gone from strength to strength after finishing third in the first series of The X-Factor. In 2014 he released his debut album Bricks,…
Kiwis Win Four Nations Title in Wellington
New Zealand secured their second Four Nations title as Shaun Johnson shone in a thrilling 22-18 win over Australia at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. New Zealand have proven that they are worthy of calling themselves…
NASA Reveals New Zealand “Untouched Sanctuary”
Nasa has released a series of images of ‘sanctuaries’ around the globe as part of a new book released this week, which includes a stunning image of Mt Taranaki in New Zealand. “Sanctuary: Exploring the World’s…
Living a Kiwi Life – Ep. 21 – Lake Waikaremoana
After some much needed sun and surf the couple decided to take a hike along the mountain ridge and shoreline of Lake Waikaremoana, another one of New Zealand’s most…
All Blacks Beat Scotland in Tough Challenge
The All Blacks have managed to continue one of the longer streaks in world sport, as Scotland failed for the 30th time to beat the world champions. But it was only just, in a…
Lydia Ko Becomes Youngest LPGA Rookie of Year
New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko has become the youngest winner of the LPGA’s Rookie of the Year award in a season in which she has won twice, secured two runner-up finishes, and gained nine…
Shane Cotton Solo Exhibition Opens in Hong Kong
One of New Zealand’s foremost contemporary artists, Shane Cotton will present “The Voyage Out”, a solo exhibition of new works on at Hong Kong’s Rossi Rossi gallery until 27 December. The gallery explains: “Part of…
New Zealand Cricket Fan Wins Fame with One-Handed Catch
Andrew McColloch is $5000 richer and slightly famous after his incredible one-handed catch at a Twenty20 cricket match went viral. Michael Bracewell hit a six in the match between Otago Volts and Wellington Firebirds, and spectator…
Swedes Are Funnier than They Think Says Al Pitcher
“One of Sweden’s hottest comedians,” our own Al Pitcher, 42, has launched his new comedy show, Nääämen: It’s Al Pitcher, in Stockholm. Educated in Rotorua, Pitcher has won numerous comedy awards in his new…
New Zealand: The Best Tourist Destination in The World?
“As an Australian, there are certain things that are hard to admit,” writes Ben Groundwater for Traveller. “New Zealand is… Awesome. Incredible. Beautiful. In fact for travellers looking for an overseas experience, it might just…
Fireside Chats: The Cast of ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Reveals Hollywood’s Vampires
The writing and directing team of Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, and their cast mates sat down with the Hollywood Reporter to talk about their new film ‘What We…
General Motors Dan Ammann Drives for Change
General Motors President Dan Ammann is leading the push to change how the century-old Detroit automaker sells and produces cars around the world. Born in New Zealand, raised on a dairy farm at Eureka in…
‘What We Do In the Shadows’ Wins Hawaii Audience Prize
“What We Do In the Shadows,” Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement’s New Zealand-made documentary-style comedy about three flatmates who happen to be vampires won the audience award for best narrative feature at the Hawaii International…
#172: Kiwis Rocking the World
The Global Life of New Zealanders From Brian Sweeney, producer NZEDGE.COM | 14 November 2014 | #172 | New York We
New Zealand Tourism Eyes 33% More Indians for World Cup
Tourism New Zealand is eyeing a massive 33 per cent growth in Indian travellers to the island Pacific nation this fiscal as it expects an influx of visitors for the World Cup Cricket it…
New Zealand All Blacks On FOX 32 Chicago News
All Blacks Kieran Read, Victor Vito and Sam Whitelock gave the FOX 32 News team some lessons on the game of rugby and what it means to be an…
Richie McCaw: The Man Behind The Genius
“What makes the New Zealand captain the world’s greatest player?” asks The Telegraph in a lengthy feature article. At Twickenham on Saturday, Richie McCaw eclipsed Sir Colin Meads as the most capped player ever to…
Mahi Aroha 2: First, Revive the Spirit
In the week preceding the 2014 General Election I gave a speech to the AGM of the Council of Social Services in Christchurch. Whenever I’m in Christchurch I feel the spirit of my late…
Fat Freddy’s Drop – Shiverman
Fat Freddy’s Drop have a live jam at the Red Bull Studio, Wellington. The seven piece band formed in the late 1990s, and are known for a musical style…
Sandra Nunnerly Making an Impact with Interior Design
A favored interior designer among the New York City’s cocktail party set, New Zealand-born Sandra Nunnerley has brought her distinct eye and original aesthetic to projects as varied as Park…
Weta’s Richard Taylor Takes on Thunderbirds Challenge
The idea to adapt half-century-old television series Thunderbirds began 12 years ago when New Zealander Richard Taylor an Oscar-winning visual effects, makeup and costumes wizard, went to the UK to ask for creator Gerry…
Living a Kiwi Life – Ep. 20 – Surfing Raglan Road Trip
This time the couple decided to trade mountaineering for surfing and took off to the sun and shine of Manu Bay, Whale Bay, Indicators and Ngarunui Beach in Raglan,…
All Blacks Reign Supreme Over England
The All Blacks gained a fifth consecutive win over England, after the home side led 14-11 at half time. But the English side made error upon error and suffered a long, slow black death in…
Teen Star James Rolleston on Why He’s “Nothing Flash-As”
The New Zealand actor James Rolleston who impressed in Taika Waititi’s smash hit Boy is back with two new homegrown films that wowed at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. In The Dead Lands Rolleston,…
