Hope and Wire

Hope and Wire hit TV3 in July 2014, roughly three years after Christchurch's most destructive earthquake. Some felt it was too early to revisit the tragedy; others praised the drama's sensitivity and "nearly seamless" mix of fact and fiction. Screened in three parts, this portrait of a city in recovery centered on 11 characters, from fractured families to selfish skinheads. Writer/director Gaylene Preston and writer Dave Armstrong mixed real life footage from the quake zone with scenes where actors directly address the audience.