Over the Sea and Near Away

Sponsored by the Crusader Shipping Company, this 1966 National Film Unit production joins one of the firm's ships as it transports NZ products from Auckland to Asia — home to “one quarter of the human race, 900 million customers”. As milk powder, wool, mutton, apples, cheese and deer antlers are delivered to ports in the Philippines, China, Japan, and Hong Kong, director Ron Bowie observes cultural difference and economic opportunity; and a “westernising” Orient is beautifully captured by Kell Fowler. The NFU crew were rare foreign observers in Chairman Mao’s China.  

There's no room in Hong Kong to keep cows, and it's difficult to get milk across the border from China.

– From the narration, in Hong Kong

Key Cast & Crew

Kell Fowler

Camera

Ron Bowie

Director, Writer - Narration, Editor

Oxley Hughan

Producer

Geoffrey Scott

Executive Producer

Peter Gwynne

Narrator

Val Federoff

Sound