Loading Docs 2018 - Soldiers Road

Taaniko Nordstrom and her sister Vienna are the creative duo behind Soldiers Rd Portraits, who create customised vintage portraits for indigenous people and often work with Māori inmates, reconnecting them with their whakapapa. Wellington filmmaker Louise Pattinson directed and edited this short documentary for the Loading Docs series. She focuses on Soldiers Road working with a group of Māori teenagers trying to find their place in the world. The teenagers tell their stories through letters to tipuna (ancestors), traditional costumes and ta moko.

My teacher told me that I would never be able to speak Māori, so I went out of my way to prove her wrong. I love to see Māori proud of who they are.

– An excerpt from a letter written as part of the Soldiers Rd identity project

Key Cast & Crew

Gabriel Abreu

Co-Producer

Julia Parnell

Executive Producer

Louise Pattinson

Director, Editor, Co-Producer

Nia Phipps

Project Manager/Producer

Trillion

Composer

Tyler Burke

Cinematographer