The Waimate Conspiracy

With good jest, this disarming rural mock-unmentary unravels the story of a group of local Waimate Maori contesting the ownership of tribal land after discovering a 138-year-old cannonball in a Canterbury paddock

The Waimate Conspiracy, New Zealand, 2006

Director: Stefen Lewis
Production co: Dark Horse Productions
Photography: Gerard Smyth
Screenplay: Stefen Lewis
Editor: Natalie Glubb
Music: Mika, Richard Nunns, Hirini Melbourne, Tane Upjohn-Beatson

With: Jim Moriarty, Helen Pearse-Otene, Powley Pearse-Otene, David McPhail, Mark Hadlow, Janice Gray

Beta-SP, M-Low level violence, 111 minutes

This good humoured, deeply fanciful mock documentary about a land claim has a distinctively Cantabrian flavour. The 2005 discovery of a cannonball buried for 138 years in a paddock throws Waimate into turmoil. It’s all some locals need to confirm their long-held belief that local Mäori were forcibly removed from their tribal lands in a bloody battle in the winter of 1866. The town is divided as a hotly contested claim eventually ends up in the District Court. Cameraman Dave is embedded with George Kepa (Jim Moriarty) and his whänau – for whom the concept of ‘behind closed doors’ does not seem to exist: we’re privy to their every desperate strategy. This ‘vérité’ footage is intercut with candid interviews with townspeople, including the farmer at the centre of the dispute and with the crucial courtroom drama. Mark Hadlow and David McPhail provide expert caricatures of the white man’s law – and a good many other cast members appear to be having just as much fun playing themselves. Helen Pearse-Otene lends gravity as George’s niece whose legal training is sorely challenged in the fray. "This is an inspiring work. It’s as if the camera left the film-set for a bit and came out right amongst us. That’s exactly what we were seeking to achieve with Ngati." – Barry Barclay. [New Zealand Film Festival, 2006]

“With good jest, this disarming rural mock-unmentary unravels the story of a group of local Waimate Maori contesting the ownership of tribal land after discovering a 138-year-old cannonball in a Canterbury paddock. While those of a legally minded disposition may have problems with its accuracy, and the genre elements seem a little awkward, this is a rather enjoyable wee debut for writer/director Stefen Lewis, with a winning performance by Jim Moriarty as the family head.” — Aro Street Video

First time director Stefen Lewis shot this feature drama in a documentary style similar to the works of British Director Ken Loach and Woody Allen. The film has a very dry sense of humor as it explores the Kepa family's court-room battle to regain their tribal land which was unlawfully stolen in 1866. Lewis has used some of New Zealand’s finest actors delivering extraordinary performances. The cast lead by Jim Moriarty also includes many first time actors who simply play themselves. 

Lewis maintained the documentary look by shooting a mix of live courtroom footage cut with direct to camera interviews with cast and fly-on-the-wall footage. The cameraman in the story "Dave" is actually a character in the story and interacts by speaking to the actors. To keep the realist look of the film the actual cameraman was never shown a script. He didn't have any idea what was in each scene and who would speak or move within the scenes. The slightly chaotic style including swing-pans, zoom crashes and occasional loss of focus that resulted is entirely real. Anyone who enjoyed the Dogme95 films of Lars Van Trier will get a kick out of this outstanding and unusual film. 

The Waimate Conspiracy won the "Wairoa Maori Film Festival Prize and Best Feature Drama Award 2006" and won the prize for Best Film at the Brisbane "Digispaa Film Festival 2006". The film played to an excited capacity audience in the 2006 New Zealand International Film Festival. — Dark Horse, IMDB

Screenings: The Waimate Conspiracy screened on 22 August 2007 as part of the Desktop Cinema: 8 recent digital features from NZ season.