Union - Short Documentary

A surge of Japanese businessmen suddenly spill onto the footpath, Jared James our young M?ori hero deftly sidesteps out onto the road, dodges an old woman on a moped and keeps running.

In Japan you can't escape the people, but it's easy to feel alone. Union is the story of a Kiwi boy who battles old habits and cultural isolation to find solace and strength in an all Japanese rugby team.

We are a documentary team based both in New Zealand and Japan, we have been funded $4000 from Loading Docs to make a 3 minute documentary as part of the Loading Docs initiative for 2017. We need your help to raise extra funds to help us make this unique story possible.

Our story explores the power of rugby to bring people together, even when those people don't even speak the same language. As we see Jared moving through a mesmerising landscape of ancient temples, crushing markets, falling cherry-blossoms and flashing districts of neon light, he will encounter challenges at every turn. His teammates and the game itself provide a means to reevaluate these challenges and motivate him to overcome them and his past.

Your support will allow us to portray this powerful, uplifting story with all the cinematic nuance it deserves. We wish to sincerely thank you for anything you can give and look forward to creating something you can enjoy and share.

Love,

Jericho, Joshua & Phillip

Jericho Rock-Archer received his masters from University of Otago in Documentary filmmaking and now works in Japan.

Joshua Rollo currently works for one of New Zealand's leading advertising agencies. He believes art and commerce can be woven together to form a stronger, more impactful outcome.

Phillip Rollo is a sports journalist for Fairfax NZ. Based in his hometown of Nelson, Phillip specialises in visually-led journalism

Union has been generously supported by the Loading Docs initiative, along with principal partner NZ on Air, the New Zealand Film Commission, and Te M?ngai P?ho.