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
  • The right and left of the image are battle scenes from the first two seasons of the series Stolen Lands. The gold text in the middle reads: "STOLEN LANDS."

    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.

  • Comedy13

    Docos and drama with a healthy dose of humour.

    Jordan a.k.a. How to DAD looks quizzically into the camera. The orange text on the left reads: "OUT OF MY LEAGUE."
    Against a yellow-and-orange background, the cyan-coloured text reads: "the All Goods Race."
    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".

  • Hidden gems10

    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".

  • 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."

  • Rangatahi30

    Series made by young people, for young people.

    Against a yellow-and-orange background, the cyan-coloured text reads: "the All Goods Race."
    A vertical poster showing three young men sitting in front of a dark wall, with the title 'Rū ANA TE WHENUA: Alien Weaponry Shake Europe' displayed.
    A hand with red-painted nails exits through a small, curtained hole in a red wall. The text reads: "DAY ONE SHORTS."
A woman siting on a two person sized couch, she has her arms spread to the sides. She's looking at the camera. Text reads, "I Got You".
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.
Alice Snedden looking into the camera and holding a megaphone up to her mouth in her left hand. In her right hand she holds up a stack of paper, on the first page is a simple drawing of the beehive with a text bubble that says, "No voting for you!!!". Text reads, "Alice Snedden's Bad News". Both the text and Alice Snedden are on a bright blue background.
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.
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."
A large mountain capped with snow. Text reads, "Land of the Long White Cloud".
A yellow graphic with two blue penguins dancing. Below them is the text: "Bigsies and Littles."
Dark purple background with text, "Art Stories in Aotearoa".
Host Guyon Espiner standing and looking at the camera, with a background composed of sliced images. To his right, the title reads 'GUYON ESPINER: WASTED'.
A man standing with his arms crossed looking at the camera, he has visible tattoos on both forearms. He's highlighted with a blue light. Text reads, "NZ Hip Hop Stand Up" in neon green and pink.
The back of someone looking up at a big red firework exploding in the night sky. Text reads, "Giants Giants Giants". The last "Giants" fades into the background.
On the left side of the graphic is the back of a yellow-on-black female athlete as she walks away. On the right side is a block of yellow. In the middle, written from top to bottom, is the text "OUTSIDE" in black and "THE LINES" in yellow.
Bob Lowry, wearing an eyepatch, crown, and shirt with the words "In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is King," holds a finger in the air. The graphic is white and teal with a title to the left of him and curving below which reads: "I Am a Dark River"
Dark grey background with yellow text reading, "The Barber Shope". There is a illustration in the same yellow of a Māori design.
Text reads, "Matangireia with Morgan Godfery". Background is beige with an out of focus letter M in fancy script.
Guyon Espiner on a black background, looking at camera with logo behind him
6 people are seated around a long table, four of them are wearing hi-vis tops. On the table there are little traffic cones and signs. There are two flags hanging on the wall behind them, the flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the Maori flag. Orange text reads, "Hi-Vis".
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".
9 images of individual people, lined up in two rows of 5. They are all looking into the camera. Text reads, "Generation Next".
A close up of a video game controller, the lighting makes it look slightly pink and blue. Text reads, "Game Change".
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".
A half light purple and half yellow background with host, Josh Thomson, in the centre. Behind him are black and white images of six historical figures from various time periods. They have been superimposed so that they appear in a staggered star burst sort of pattern. Yellow text reads, "My Favourite Dead Person".
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 people performing a haka outside amongst the trees. The person at the front is in focus and doing a pukana. Text reads, "NZ Wars: The Stories of Ruapekapeka".