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Ngā miramira o te kohinga
Highlights from the collection

The NFU made thousands of films that captured what was unique about life in Aotearoa. They included war newsreels, nature documentaries and features on Māori art.

Explore some highlights, hand-picked from the collection by Archives New Zealand staff.

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A brown and white heritage building with supporting pillars and high entrance, few cars parked in front
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Amazing New Zealand

The incredible sights and amusing quirks of New Zealand's two main islands.

A still from the film 'Aroha'. A woman is standing and singing while others watch and listen.
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Aroha

The story of Aroha, a university student and descendant of Māori chiefs, who struggles to find fulfillment combining European and Māori ways.

Black and white photo of a woman wearing white shirt sitting in a park with three kids walking in front of her
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As the Twig is Bent

Government advice from 1965 about the importance and practicalities of preparing children for school.

A still from the film 'Atoll People'. A man steers a boat carrying handwoven baskets of fruit.
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Atoll People

A human and moving look at the dilemma of Tokelau Islanders – New Zealand citizens who make a bare living on tiny coral islands.

Barry Brickell carries a large urn out of a brick kiln.
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Barry Brickell, Potter

A slice of life documentary about Barry Brickell, a potter who lives alone in the Coromandel.

A still from 'Country Lads'. A man smiles and gives the thumbs up.
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Country Lads

A reminder of the impact of war on the close-knit society of New Zealand in the 1940s. Poignant scenes show people saying goodbyes to their loved ones.

Still from the film 'Dustie'. A man walks up a narrow pathway carrying a bag of rubbish.
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Dustie

A look at the lighter side of refuse collection, Dustie follows a team of bin men on their round.

People working on a National Film Unit Set.
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Exhibition Loop (NFU at Work)

A glimpse of life on an NFU set.

A group of skiers on a snowy mountain
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Flare - A Ski Trip

Hot-dogging at Queenstown – the sport of the daring, who ski a live volcano. International Film Festival award winner.

A coloured illustration of a person wearing a brown dress searching on the dark ground
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The Frog, The Dog, and The Devil

The old demon drink bedevils a lonely shepherd in this lively animated film.

A still from 'The Glacier Climbers'. A woman holds a crystal she has just found in her hands, smiling.
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The Glacier Climbers

The story of a four-day mountain journey from Westland to Canterbury across the Southern Alps.

A still from 'Holiday for Susan'. Two women recline on lounge chairs in the sunshine.
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Holiday for Susan

An Australian girl finds romance and excitement on a scenic tour of New Zealand.

Black and white photo of a man wearing Robot costume and people standing around him watching him.
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Letter By Robot

What’s the best way to get a letter from the mayor of Wellington to the mayor of Whanganui? In August 1960 the answer seemed to be Brosco, a 9ft’6” robot, who set off on foot to deliver the mail.

An old photo of a small bird with a long tail sitting on a tree branch
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Legend of Birds

A colour film about the birds that live in the bush of Aotearoa.

A still from 'The legend of the Wanganui River'. Two people push a canoe out from a river bank.
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The Legend of the Wanganui River

The story of the Wanganui River – from its mountain source, through deep gorges and dense forests and down to the coastal city of Wanganui.

A still from 'The Long Green Mantle'. Baby Piwakawaka birds in a nest.
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The Long Green Mantle

A look at the beauty of the New Zealand bush, where thousand-year-old trees tower above dense undergrowth and ferns.

Black and white photo of a airplane with the words Papango written on the front and a person in the window.
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Night Flight

Follow an early night flight from Christchurch to Paraparaumu. Learn how pilots use radio beams and beacons to fly in the dark and make flying safe in all weather conditions.

A still from 'One Hundred and Forty Days Under the World'. 2 people push a sled through snow.
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One Hundred and Forty Days Under The World

A summer's work by New Zealand scientists, exploring some of the last unmapped regions in the Antarctic.

Black and white photo of a man wearing a black jacket with trees in the background
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Pictorial Parade no. 47

The Queen of Tonga takes the salute at a passing-out parade at Papakura camp. Dutch settlers hide painted eggs on Easter day at a Roseneath school. Crowds watch Opo the dolphin's tricks..

A still from 'Pictorial Parade No. 79'. A group of teens play bowls. Crouched on the floor, they watch the ball intently as it rolls.
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Pictorial Parade No. 79

An optimistic look at life in mid-century Aotearoa.

A still from 'Pictorial Parade 86 - Inside the Bag'. A game show host reads a question while the contestant smiles.
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Pictorial Parade 86 - Inside the Bag

Behind the scenes at a performance of radio show It's in the Bag.

Black and white photo of a road with cars and a metal overbridge
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Pictorial Parade no. 89

Pictorial Parade no. 89 Released in June 1959, this Parade features stories on the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, Wellington’s 21st Industries Fair and South Canterbury churches.

Three scrolls with golden and copper color and intricate designs
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Pictorial Parade no. 126

A Dunedin traffic inspector works to reduce cycling accidents. Lake Kimihia is drained so coal can be mined from under it. Wallpaper manufacturers explain their trade.

A still from 'Pictorial Parade No. 195'. A close up of the tracks on a rope-railway.
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Pictorial Parade no. 195 - After 90 Years

A last look at the Denniston Incline – the rope-railway that allowed coal to be lowered from a 2000-foot plateau.

A still from 'Plastiphobia'. Plasticine characters play in a band.
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Plastiphobia

One of four films that animator Fred O’Neill made for the NFU. O’Neill specialised in creating characters out of plasticine and using stop-motion animation.

A still from 'Primeval Survivors'. A tuatara rests on a rock.
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Primeval Survivors

Explore the world of the tuatara in this short NFU documentary.

A man wearing a white shirt bending and holding a camera on a river side
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Rock Bottom at Waikaremoana

Watch divers sealing crevices in the bed of Lake Waikaremoana. The scenes were recorded by a moving camera set in a diving helmet – probably the first of its kind in the world.

A still from 'Running for Empties'. A young man wearing a hi-vis vest holds the handlebar of a trolley.
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Running for Empties (1988)

Daily life in the 1980s through the eyes of 14-year-old Glenn, as he delivers milk around Newtown, Wellington.

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Studio Tour (1981)

A tour of the NFU complex that follows the making of a film from start to completion.

An old photo of white mountains on a background of dark green sky, with few people standing in the foreground and some people skiing.
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Snows of Aorangi

Stunning imagery of New Zealand's mountain landscapes.

Black and white photo with a man wearing a jersey and white shirt sitting in front of a telephone switch board
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Telephone Talk

How the telephone changed New Zealand life.

A still from 'This is New Zealand'. Snowy white mountains and a clear blue sky stretch out into the horizon.
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This is New Zealand

A groundbreaking film made for the 1970 Expo in Osaka, Japan. Two million people saw This is New Zealand in Osaka, and 350,000 when it screened at home.

An old building with pillars and flowers in the front, blue sky with clouds in the background
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Toehold on a Harbour

Explores the idea that the character of Wellington has been shaped by its location.

A still from the film 'Valley of Waitomo' showing two people inside the Waitomo Caves, illuminated in red light.
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Valley of Waitomo

An adventure in the Waitomo Caves, with their unique glow-worm grotto and underground river.

A still from 'Weekly Review No.112'. A fallen soldier's parents are presented with a Victoria Cross medal at a ceremony.
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Weekly Review No. 112

Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu is posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross in Ruatoria.

A black and white close up photo of a smiling man wearing a hard hat and holding a gun
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Weekly Review no. 140 - Easter Action on Bougainville

An NFU cameraman reports on the conflict in Bougainville.

A still from 'Weekley Review 232 - Return of the Maori Battalion'. A soldier and a woman greet each other with a hongi.
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Weekly Review 232 - Return of the Māori Battalion

Soldiers from the 28th Māori Battalion return to Aotearoa after World War II. Communities prepare food and festivities at local marae.

A still from 'Weekly Review No. 346'. 3 women raise their arms in the air while performing rhythmical gymnastics.
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Weekly Review no. 346 (Rhythm and Movement)

The health benefits of rhythmic gymnastics.

Black and white photo of a smiling boy with short blonde hair smiling and a side pose, some text written on the left
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Weekly Review no. 355 - The Railway Worker

The lives of the men and women of New Zealand's railways in the late 1940s.

A flock of sheep on steep terrain. A man follows behind them.
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Weekly Review 441

Released in April 1950 this Review features stories on the manufacture of rope and a truly unique sheep drive through the streets of Wellington

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Highlights from the collection related links

A history of the NFU
Audiovisual collections
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