This is New Zealand

Short Film (Excerpts) – 1970

Directed by Hugh Macdonald, This is New Zealand was made to promote the country at Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan. An ambitious concept saw iconic Kiwi imagery — panoramas, nature, Māori culture, sport, industry — projected on three screens that together comprised one giant widescreen. Sibelius's rousing Karelia Suite backed the most spectacular images. Two million people saw the film in Osaka, and over 350,000 New Zealanders on its homecoming theatrical release. It was remastered by Park Road Post in 2007 for the NZ International Film Festival, and rereleased in 2021. This excerpt is the first three minutes.

With screenings increasing to eight per day, six days a week, the money that was taken paid for the total production cost in the one theatre — never been done to my knowledge ... we took it to the Odeon Christchurch where it continued it’s success, with ten screenings a day, and then, on to a sensational reception in Dunedin. The show then went to the Embassy in Auckland, where four rows of seats had to be pulled out, for the construction of a wide projection box.
– National Film Unit boss Geoffrey Scott on the success of the film at Wellington's Embassy Theatre, Flicks and Pix magazine, date unknown

Key Cast & Crew

Samuel Grau

Camera

Murray Creed

Camera

Hugh Macdonald

Director, Writer, Editor

Kell Fowler

Triple Camera Photography

David Jordan

Associate Director, Writer, Editor

David H Fowler

Producer

See all 18 credits

Produced by

The National Film Unit

Source

Archives New Zealand

Music

Soundtrack includes sections from the Karelia Suite composed by Jean Sibelius, conducted by John Barbirolli and performed by Manchester's Halle Orchestra

Also includes music by Acme Sausage Company, The Avengers, and the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band