Conversing with Aotearoa/New Zealand

Conversing with Aotearoa/New Zealand Synopsis

In an age of technological integration and urban life, people turn to the natural world for a wilderness experience. What draws us to the remote corners of land and sea when we realize something in our lives is missing? How does our experiences in these places change us and change the wilderness we enjoy?

In this animated documentary, New Zealanders attempt to fathom their deep, personal connection with their land. With a unique blend of hand-drawn animation, stop-motion and time-lapse photography, animator Corrie Francis illustrates the inner experience of 9 people interacting with the New Zealand wilderness. Among the interviewees are hunters, fishermen, farmers, trampers, mountaineers, adventurer-racers, conservationists, ecologists, artists, urban and rural dwellers, Pakeha, Maori and tourists, young, old and in between. The thread that ties them all together is a passion and love for the wild places in New Zealand. Their experiences reflect the wildernesses we find within ourselves.