Deep-dive documentaries

Films and mini-series that dive deep into our history, culture, and society.

Deep-dive documentaries series and films

A bagpipe band stand in a field ready to perform. The text reads: "12,000 Miles from NZ to the Green."

12,000 Miles

Follow the Kiwis taking on the world at the World Pipe Band Champs in Scotland.
3 episodes
36m
In India, a group of people walk down a path in front of a historic building. Above the building in orange reads: "1984"

1984

Survivors of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in India seek asylum in Aotearoa.
Film
1h 4m
A hillside is draped with a large Māori flag, on the ridge line stands a single figure and another Māori flag. Text in a painted font reads "Ake Ake Ake"

Ake Ake Ake

The story of the land occupation at Ihumātao in words of those that were there.
3 episodes
55m
Black and white photo of a portion of a team sports photo. Only two men visible with crossed arms. Text reads, "All Blacks at War".

All Blacks at War

Andrew Mehrtens MNZM shares the story of the 13 All Blacks killed in WWI.
Film
44m
A man sits silhouetted on some steps leading down to the water in a cave. He glances out over the incoming waves. Yellow text reads: "BEING Niuean. 50 YEARS OF PULE FAKAMOTU."

Being Niuean

Nominated
50 years of self-governance on the Rock.
Film
44m
A mixed crowd with people standing among police officers wearing helmets and masks. The image has a black background with the white title 'Boiling Point, March 2nd'.

Boiling Point

An account of the final day of one of Aotearoa’s most infamous protests.
Film
45m
A wide long beach withe dark grey sand and blue ocean. Text reads, "Chatham Islanders, Tchakat Tchatam Airani". There is an illustration of an indigenous Moriori tree carving in between the words "Chatham" and "Islanders".

Chatham Islanders

A documentary series about life on Aotearoa's remotest island.
7 episodes
26m
Framed by a purple fabric design is a plus-size model in a green dress. In front of her, in black-on-white text, reads: "CUTTING THE CURVE."

Cutting the Curve

Among diet drugs & shrinking ideals, curve & plus-size women fight to be seen.
6 episodes
10m
Black text on a beige background, text reads "Fight for the Wild". Behind the text are three illustrations, one is of New Zealand the other is a disembodied head of a Tūī and the third is a fantail.

Fight for the Wild

Documentary series exploring the notion of a Predator Free 2050 in Aotearoa.
4 episodes
45m
Host Guyon Espiner looking directly into the camera, with a bar illuminated by blue light in the background. On the right side from the man the title reads 'Proof'.

Guyon Espiner: Proof

Guyon Espiner's documentary about NZ's drinking culture & the alcohol industry.
Film
44m
In a black-and-white photograph, a Māori woman speaks into a microphone in front of a crowd. Her fist is raised defiantly in the air. below the woman, at the bottom of the image, the text reads in yellow lettering: "THE HAKA PARTY INCIDENT."

The Haka Party Incident

Award-winning
The last New Zealand war took place in 1979. It lasted three minutes.
Film
1h 28m
Bob Lowry, wearing an eyepatch, crown, and shirt with the words "In the country of the blind, the man" before it's cut off, holds a finger in the air. The graphic is white and teal with a title to the left of him which reads: "I Am a Dark River"

I Am a Dark River

NZ printer & publisher Bob Lowry, through the eyes of his granddaughter Tess.
Film
1h 10m
A black-and-white image of a smiling Joy Cowley sitting on a swing. Large text in the background of the image reads: "Joy Full & Fearless."

Joy, Full & Fearless

The trauma & triumph of celebrated author Joy Cowley's astonishing life.
Film
56m
The side profile of a man holding a guitar with a microphone on a stand in front of him. Text reads, "Legacy: Katchafire" and has a boarder around the perimeter of the frame.

Katchafire: Legacy

Katchafire's journey through creative differences & a changing music landscape.
Film
53m
Six seperate images arranged in two rows of three, content of the photos include, a man playing a trumpet, graffiti, a group shot of four men. Text across the middle reads, "Marauders".

MARAUDERS

Glorious handycam footage from the Fat Freddy's Drop 2003 debut European tour.
4 seasons/28 episodes
9m
The silhouette of a man against a sun either rising or setting, the sky is mostly green with a thin bank of orange light along the horizon. Text reads, "Meng".

Meng

A year in the life of Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon.
Film
52m
A group of Pasifika women pose for a picture. Below them the text reads: "Myths & Maidens."

Myths & Maidens

Some of the trauma, challenges, & inequities of fafine Moana across Pasifika.
Film
56m
We see a coastline of New Zealand. On the right is the land; on the left is the ocean; above are clouds. Golden text in the middle reads: "STOLEN LANDS A HIGHLANDER'S QUEST."

Stolen Lands

A Highlander’s journey to Aotearoa meets a legacy of land & loss.
2 seasons/10 episodes
29m
An archival picture of a group of Pacific Islanders posing for a group picture. The text reads "Untold Pacific History"

Untold Pacific History

A dynamic and often provocative account of NZ's relationship with the Pacific.
2 seasons/8 episodes
14m
A sand dune with the ocean behind it in a cove, everything shadowy and violet in the twilight. The text reads "Whitiki! Whītī! Whītī! E!"'

Whitiki

The stories of three WWI Māori Pioneers, through the eyes of their descendants.
Film
52m

More to watch

If you are interested in Deep-dive documentaries you might also want to check out some of our other series and films.

  • Tamariki6

    Series for children, featuring some very well-known New Zealanders.

    Michal Bush, in all pink, plays a guitar in her music room. The text above reads: "Music with Michal."
    A yellow graphic with two blue penguins dancing. Below them is the text: "Bigsies and Littles."
    In an animated graphic, the top of a man's face is seen in front of fence, above which are a collection of native New Zealand birds. In the middle of the image, in the middle of the birds, is the text: "BIRD'S EYE VIEW 2."

  • Hidden gems8

    A collection of some of the best bits you might have missed on RNZ Video.

    One young woman sits on another who is in a wheelchair in a zany candid moment. Text reads "This is Wheel Life with Soph and Indy"
    Whitney Steel & Nathan Taare sit at a table and smell samples of a perfume. White text below them reads: "JOURNEY OF SCENT."
    Eight seperate images edited into two rows of four, each showing different images of people and art. Text reads, "Marauders".

  • Comedy12

    Docos and drama with a healthy dose of humour.

    A man looking into the camera with his mouth slightly open. His left eye is bugged out in a comically over the top way. Text reads, "A Place Called Te Awamutu".
    Piripi is wearing a shirt and a cap and looks into the camera smiling. He is leaning against the side of a vehicle. Text reads, "Oe, The Adventures of of Piripi Kaiwaru AKA Phillip! Narrated by his Mother" There is a small illustration of a truck under the text, as well as illustrations of deer horns and a kangaroo.
    Against a yellow-and-orange background, the cyan-coloured text reads: "the All Goods Race."

  • New in 202533

    New series and films as well as the latest from our ongoing shows.

    Michal Bush, in all pink, plays a guitar in her music room. The text above reads: "Music with Michal."
    A yellow graphic with two blue penguins dancing. Below them is the text: "Bigsies and Littles."
    An image of some green New Zealand landscape covered with a bit of fog. The text reads: "MATA Reports Lost Property."
The side profile of a man holding a guitar with a microphone on a stand in front of him. Text reads, "Legacy: Katchafire" and has a boarder around the perimeter of the frame.
A mixed crowd with people standing among police officers wearing helmets and masks. The image has a black background with the white title 'Boiling Point, March 2nd'.
A sharp yellow pencil is placed in the center of a tile with a light grey background. The title 'Recovering' is above the pencil, with an underscore after 'Re'.
A group of Pasifika women pose for a picture. Below them the text reads: "Myths & Maidens."
A man sits silhouetted on some steps leading down to the water in a cave. He glances out over the incoming waves. Yellow text reads: "BEING Niuean. 50 YEARS OF PULE FAKAMOTU."
A large group of smiling young performers in traditional Polynesian attire pose together outdoors. They wear orange and yellow garments, necklaces made of white spikes, and have black markings on their faces. Above them, on a yellow banner, bold black text reads “SEVEN WEEKS,” with the subtitle “JOURNEY TO POLYFEST” in italics.
Two men face the camera with serious but open expressions. Text reads "Context, Corin Dann and Guyon Espiner"
Dark purple background with text, "Art Stories in Aotearoa".
In a graphic made up of differently coloured brown tiles, the two main hosts of Whakamāori season three pose. Behind them is text reading: "WHAKAMĀORI."
Woman looking into the camera, standing side on. She has a staunch expression and Is wearing a bright pink blouse. Text reads, "Breaking Silence". Text and woman stand against a dark, almost black background.
A man operating a cannon, theres smoke coming out of it and a man next to it holding his hands over his ears. Text reads, "NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara".
A school of fish swim together in the ocean. The text reads "Turning the Tide"
A hillside is draped with a large Māori flag, on the ridge line stands a single figure and another Māori flag. Text in a painted font reads "Ake Ake Ake"
A woman sitting on a chair next to a desk and coffee table. She's smiling at the camera. Text reads, "Aotearoa's Most Bizarre Conspiracies".
A man wearing sunglasses and a tartan hat is looking out to the left. Text reads, "Our Other Islands".
A coastal scene of a land mass with cliffs leading down to a beach and the ocean. Text reads, "My Cyclone Gabrielle, Four Filmmakers Four Views".
A white pick-up truck drives up a winding country road, surrounded by dry New Zealand farmland. The text reads "The Turning Point"
Dark grey background with yellow text reading, "The Barber Shope". There is a illustration in the same yellow of a Māori design.
Black and white image of a portion of an All Blacks rugby team photo. Men standing with arms folded looking at the camera wearing sports uniforms. Text reads, "All Blacks at War".
A person on a BMX bike jumping over the camera, silhouetted against a cloudy sky. Text reads, "No Limits".
Black and white faces of Helen Clark, Dame Jenny Shipley, Jim Bolger Geoffrey Palmer and Mike Moore, with the words 'The 9th Floor' underneath them. The background of the image is black.
A Little Blue Penguin sits in a rocky landscape. Text reads "Kororā, little blue penguin".
An animated graphic of green trees and leaves in a forest, along with a red flower. The text in front reads "What Will I Be Today?"
Photo of Anika Moa in black with hands on hips, looking straight ahead to camera, on a light grey background. The podcast title ‘It’s Personal with Anika Moa’ is written above her head.