Dreamspeakers

Tainui is an independent producer, director, writer, executive producer, and sometime presenter. He serves as a board member of the NZ Film Commission, and is the Maori advisor to television funding agency New Zealand On Air. He started his broadcasting career in 1984 as a reporter with Television New Zealand’s KOHA. Since then he has produced many television information and entertainment series including TE KOHANGA REO, WAKA HUIA, MARAE, WHEN THE HAKA BECAME BOOGIE and MAI TIME. He has produced and directed many documentaries including MAORI BATTALION MARCH TO VICTORY, THE BLACK SINGLET LEGACY, ICON IN B MINOR, THE NEW ZEALAND WARS, HE WHARE KORERO and BUB & NEN. He has been an executive producer for the Maori Television Service with event television like ANZAC DAY, MATARIKI, and WAITANGI. In 2002 Tainui’s first short film as a director THE HILL was selected for the Sundance and Berlin festivals. He was a producer for the Vincent Ward feature films RIVER QUEEN and RAIN OF THE CHILDREN. His current productions include a television feature documentary LET MY WHAKAPAPA SPEAK, and a film documentary CRY FROM THE DEEP. His company Pito One Productions is based in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand.