In Peru, beauty and poverty go hand in hand. Westie comedian Ewen Gilmour begins his Peruvian journey in Lima, the capital - which he describes as a "sprawling, largely chaotic urban mess". Locals offer drugs and warn of muggers, but there are lighter moments when Gilmour entertains an enthusiastic audience in the city's historic centre, despite speaking only un poco Español. Later the former stonemason is impressed by the precision stonework in the ancient hilltop city of Machu Picchu, and visits locals who live on floating islands of reeds, on Lake Titicaca.

Peta Mathias gets off the plane at La Paz, Bolivia — and the world's — highest airport. She steps straight into poverty, altitude sickness, stunning scenery and likable people. Her Bolivian experience includes sub-zero temperatures, uninspiring food and the infamous mining town of Potosi. But as she writes in her diary, adventure travel means, "no skidding over the surfaces, no observing through Prada sunglasses, no shirking from the reality of the culture. In that sense the journey is unforgettable because it's so intense and puts you right up against the wall."

Benjamin (Matt Scheurich) lives at home with his Mum, but the 23-year-old dreams of escaping the nest for some overseas experience. Pondering the question ‘should I stay or should I go?’, he retreats to his studio to create intricate shoebox dioramas of his destinations. Meanwhile Mum plans an (unwanted) birthday party for him. Director Michelle Savill made the film as part of a Film Studies course at Wintec in Hamilton. The quirky take on the yearning to leave — and the fear of being left behind — was selected for 20 film festivals, including Rotterdam and Clermont-Ferrand.

New Zealand's representatives in parliament have had some of their most memorable moments captured on camera. This collection showcases their screen legacy: from stirring addresses (Kirk), feisty debates (Muldoon, Lange, Olympic boycotts), revolutions, nukes, and snap elections, to political punches (Bob Jones), and young leaders (Clark). Listener writer Toby Manhire writes about Kiwi politicians on screen here.

Prime time show Matthew and Marc’s Rocky Road took the former rugby-playing duo of Matthew Ridge and Marc Ellis (Fresh-up in the Deep End) and sent them to various corners of the globe. Each series or instalment went somewhere new —including the United Kingdom, South America, Russia, Japan and India — where the duo took in the local culture in the form of a physical challenge, which generally saw the loser subjected to humiliation, ridicule and usually pain. For their Rocky Road to Athens series, the pair crossed Europe in the lead-up to the 2004 Athens Olympics. 

Whanganui Mayor and radio host Michael Laws visits Ecuador in South America for this Intrepid Journey. He is challenged by the tough travel conditions, and moved by the poor and difficult lives of the locals, but also manages to have some fun learning to salsa dance (this was before his Dancing with the Stars training); trying on panama hats (which, contrary to their name, originated in Ecuador); and shopping. In the city of Cuenca, Laws is surprised to find the presence of armed guards and police everywhere makes him feel safer than usual.

Sharply contrasting lives in the South-West feature in this episode of director Geoff Steven's USA road trip. Cosmetics millionaire Mary Kay Ash talks about her empire from her pink, Liberace-inspired Dallas mansion; while business efficiency guru Michael George seeks to make American industry more competitive. Meanwhile, in the New Mexico desert, Pueblo Indians attempt to reconcile ancient traditions with the nuclear arms industry that employs them; and, in El Paso, a second generation Mexican-American border guard intercepts illegal immigrants.

In this 2012 short film, young Samoan Kiwi Suni (Beulah Koale) has to choose between his family — and its traditional values — and gang life. His wayward cousin pressures him towards the gang. Ōtara actor Koale had a breakout role in short film Manurewa (2010), and would go on to star in feature The Last Saint, before winning roles in America (Hawaii Five-O). Suni Man was directed, written and produced by Hamish Mortland, inspired by a true story he heard from a schoolmate. The film screened as an education resource in South Auckland community centres.

It was a case of sisters doin' it for themselves in 1994 when Hassanah Iroegbu and Brenda Makamoeafi's single ‘In The Neighbourhood' lingered in the Kiwi charts for 12 weeks, and won interest in Australia. The two met at school in Otara before becoming Sisters Underground— Iroegbu had moved from America; her ancestry included Nigeria and Germany. The song — produced by 'How Bizarre' maestro Alan Jansson for landmark South Auckland album Proud — was later rerecorded for a TV2 promo. After Iroegbu returned to the US, a planned album fell through, but the urban-r'n'b duo featured on several compilations.