A Fracking Tour of Taranaki

Climate change appears to be a priority for our Government – last year it declared a climate emergency, in addition to pledging that the country be carbon neutral by 2050.

However, in Taranaki - the only region exempt from Aotearoa’s ban on oil and gas exploration - a natural gas company is creating two new wells with plans for up to 24 more wells in the planning stages.

ABOUT THE FILM

In this film, we follow local farmer, teacher, and climate activist, Sarah Roberts on one of her guided tours of the Taranaki oil and gas wells, where we bear witness to the impact of exploration on local communities and the environment.

The film will end at the final stop on the tour, Parihaka Pā which has established a ‘frack-free’ zone on its whenua - here we look at what the alternative to oil and gas is for Taranaki where indigenous leadership have maintained mana motuhake.

WHY IT MATTERS

By using Taranaki as a case study, we can determine whether or not Aotearoa New Zealand's government is keeping their promise to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Two new wells have approved consents, meaning there is an urgency for this film. We want to tell an engaging story that informs and educates Kiwis on the environmental catastrophe that is occurring in their own backyard.

However, we also want to present solutions, with the hope being that through this investigative and informative piece, we will emerge with a positive outlook for the future of Aotearoa’s taiao.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We are extremely grateful to have secured some funding through being a part of the Someday Stories Series 5 collection -  but we need your help in order to do this important mahi justice.

Your donation will help us cover travel expenses, accommodation, gear hire, legal fees, as well as meaningfully pay the hardworking creatives who are contributing to this film.

THE TEAM

Director Ethan Alderson-Hughes is an emerging filmmaker based in Tāmaki Makaurau. He seeks to combine his love for cinema and environmental activism through documentary filmmaking. He currently works as a video editor at Aotearoa Science Agency. Ethan’s past films include Kaitiaki, a short documentary piece about the land occupation at Ihumātao.

You can view Ethan's portfolio here.

The documentary has two co-producers, Ali Nicholls and Jean Bell. Ali Nicholls holds a Masters of Arts in Cultural Anthropology and has worked in education, social work, and social research. Jean Bell is currently a journalist at Radio New Zealand, with a background in music journalism and arts publicity. A Fracking Tour of Taranaki marks the producing debut of both Ali and Jean.

Director of Photography Ben Brewer is an experienced cinematographer of factual content. His recent project Kaikoura: A Big Year was nominated as a finalist in the 2019 Voyager Media Awards. He currently works as a camera operator and editor at Aotearoa Science Agency. 

The talented creatives who are part of this film's production are: 

Connor Crawford (stills photographer)

Liam Rudd (illustrator)

John Murray (composer)

Samara Alofa (composer)

Daemon Rose (graphic designer)

Jade Paynter (animator)

If you can't donate, please share our page with your friends and family to help us get the word out.

Thank you for your support - we could not make this film without it!