Hineani Melbourne

Pioneering Māori producer and director Hineani Melbourne began her career in journalism with Mana newspaper before moving into children's television at TVNZ. She directed and produced landmark documentaries with the Māori Women's Welfare League, and worked across Māori broadcasting, short film and radio, mentoring emerging storytellers along the way. As chair of Ngā Aho Whakaari, she championed Māori screen policy and the protection of cultural archives. Melbourne is also an academic, with a strong research focus on ownership and kaitiakitanga of Aotearoa's screen content.

The drive was about trying to get Māori on screen … I wanted to see people like me on screen. I wanted my children to see other Māori on screen. I wanted to see great stories about Māori. I wanted to see Māori myths and legends, for example. I wanted to see some of the yarns that I had grown up with and the stories. It always has been my driving force. Hineani Melbourne