East to East

New Zealand sporting legends train and guide at-risk teens through the Coast to Coast event in this documentary.

"Even though the Coast to Coast ends right on their doorstep in New Brighton, it’s not an event that kids from Christchurch’s eastern suburbs would normally have the chance to be involved with. The Coast to Coast Rangers was set up in 2015 to change this and in association with the Canterbury Youth Development Programme selected students from Aranui High School to join the fledgling programme.

"Although some of the chosen participants dropped out along the way, two students, Taitama and Bryce, were eventually picked to train for the event along with two of their classmates, Sholita and Kaylah, assisting as support crew. With just seven months until the next race, filmmaker Vanessa Wells follows the kids though their ups and downs, as they sacrifice their holidays and time with their friends to commit to training – and confront the doubts that they would ever be able to complete the race." (New Zealand International Film Festival)

Less