ChillDocs, a new funding initiative from Chillbox Creative, just launched its first series of shorts from independent documentary filmmakers.
With an aim to share real-world stories from Aotearoa, the films cover everything from the Protect Ihumaatao Campaign to the cheeky leopard seal in Auckland harbour. Watch the five ChillDocs films below.
Owha
Dir: Lana Young
Furry friend or murderous menace—can one leopard seal change the way we view her entire species? When Antarctic leopard seal ‘Owha’ arrives in Auckland harbour, scientist Dr Krista Hupman begins a quest to fight for its protection and life, urging us to reconsider how to live alongside these animals.
Kaitiaki
Dir: Ethan Alderson-Hughes
An on the ground observation of the day’s following the eviction of the Protect Ihumaatao Campaign from their ancestral whenua, and the stories of the land at the heart of the conflict.
Edith Gibson Has 3000 Dolls
Dir: Daisy Lawless
Edith Gibson lives in the heart of suburban Auckland with her 3000 Dolls; repairing and caring for them. In this 11 minute documentary, she invites you into her home, shares her prized dolls, and imparts pro tips and tricks for repairing these beauties to their former glory.
Her Beneath Her
Dir: Samantha Crews & Connor Slattery
Despite drag being an art form dedicated to celebrating femininity, female identifying queens are yet to be regarded as equals. Her Beneath Her details the experiences of three girls in different stages of their drag careers, as well as exploring the challenges they face finding acceptance as women in a male dominated industry.
Rat Man
Dir: Steph Miller & Belle Gwilliam
Daryl Wilson, a reclusive ex-convict, turns local hero when his state home and the surrounding community of Strathmore Park is overrun by rats.
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