Tihei

Hamish Bennett | Film

$2,020 of $2,000 Raised

101%

42 Generous Donors

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The Project

Kia ora everyone!

The goal of our Boosted campaign is to make a short documentary called Tihei. It will screen this year as part of the Loading Docs initiative, which creates and distributes 10 x 3 minute documentaries. The theme for the documentaries this year is 'connection'.

We have been given some funding by Loading Docs, but we're on the hunt for another $2000 to help complete our project. This is where you all come in! Contributions of any size are greatly appreciated, and as a wee thankyou there'll be a freestyling surprise for each and every contributor at the culmination of filming.

Nga mihi mahana ki a koutou - thanks heaps for your support.

Our film

Tihei Harawira has faced adversity all his life. Diagnosed with a form of autism as a child, he remembers always feeling behind at school. Socially he was aware that he didn't quite 'fit', and the bullying he suffered is a permanent scar from this time. But a chance encounter with two musicians set Tihei on the path to discovering his own unique way of connecting with others - freestyle rapping.

Set in the vibrant world of the Otara Markets, Tihei tells the story of a humble young man who has refused to let labels define him or doubters silence him.

Our director

Hamish Bennett (Te Arawa, Ng?puhi, K?i Tahu) wrote and directed his first short film The Dump in 2011, which screened at many festivals in New Zealand and around the world, and which won the 2012 NZ Writers Guild Award for Best Short Film Script. His second short, Ross & Beth, had its world premiere at the 2014 NZ Film Festival where it won the Jury Prize for Best New Zealand short film, as well as winning the Audience and Cinematography awards. The film has continued to pick up awards and screen at high profile festivals around the world. Hamish is a teacher at Owairaka District School, and he's the father of two young boys, Tai and Leo.

Our producer

Orlando Stewart has been writing, producing and directing content for screens of all sizes for the past ten years. He's worked on award winning historical series, comedies, factual reality and drama. Orlando produced Hamish Bennett's celebrated short films Ross & Beth and The Dump. He enjoys long walks on moonlit beaches, and recently entered the world of male modelling, to mixed reviews.