New Zealand is facing a water crisis. With 60% of Aotearoa’s rivers deemed unswimmable, the nation’s clean, green image—and the health of its people—is at risk. While political solutions remain stalled, Māori-led initiatives are rising to the challenge. This documentary follows the powerful grassroots efforts of iwi working to restore and protect their waterways for future generations.
Mike Bhana - Director
Mike Bhana - Writer
Mike Bhana - Producer
Up Next in 2025 Official Selection
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Between Foam and Clouds
On the windswept coast of Cape Carteret, shaped by millennia of marine erosion, nature reclaims its ground. This cinematic portrait follows the return of the peregrine falcon and the great raven—two ancestral rivals—to a landscape teetering between wilderness and encroaching city. As their secret...
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Black Water
In the heart of the Congo Basin, Lake Mai Ndombe is vanishing—and with it, the way of life for countless families. Black Water uncovers the unintended consequences of aid-driven solutions, as mosquito nets become tools for overfishing, endangering fish stocks and livelihoods. Amid this crisis, a ...
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El Pulmo
Once a struggling fishing village, Cabo Pulmo has become a global model for marine conservation—thanks in large part to Mario Castro, a former fisherman turned guardian of the sea. El Pulmo traces Mario’s extraordinary journey and the ongoing fight to preserve this marine sanctuary in the face of...
