A Nice Sort of Day

This film contrasts impressions of two places over the course of a day: Mana Island off Tītahi Bay, and Wellington city. Two young climbers, teacher Steve Firth and gardener Laurie Gallagher, row out to the island while the sun rises and the city wakes up. Over smokes and beers, they discuss why they climb. Evocative shots of their rockface ascent are paralleled with shots of city bustle: traffic, Radio Windy DJs and new high rises. The genre of dramatised documentary was relatively new when cinematographer Waka Attewell made this film — his directorial debut. It was mainly shot over two weekends in 1973.