Conspiracy story makes it to the movies

As a 15-year-old, Linwood Community Constable Stefen Harris entered a ‘Spot On’ film-making competition. He won a consolation prize, while the now world-famous director, Peter Jackson, came first.

But Stef has gone on to his own good fortune with The Waimate Conspiracy – a film he has worked tirelessly at to direct and produce.

The film is a mock documentary which explores the issue of Māori land claims. It is based on his 1999 book The Waikikamukau Conspiracy which he wrote under the pseudonym Stefen Lewis.

A year ago he was struggling to get film industry support to produce it, and finances were tight.

But he’s just returned from the Netherlands having won a trip to Rotterdam alongside 44 other film makers, to tell film funders about his work and pitch other ideas to them.

Things changed for Stef when his film was included in Christchurch screenings of the New Zealand International Film Festival in August last year. There it ended up being the most watched film and was released to 10 South Island cinemas. Its official premiere was held in Waimate in October last year.

The Film Commission then stepped in with cash to help him complete the editing process. Further success came last October when the film won top place in the Wairoa Māori Film Festival. It was also selected for the Pacifika New York Hawaiian Film Festival.

The Film Commission convinced Stef to enter his film in the Australian Screen Producers’ Association awards. He was selected with three other finalists and won $15,000 – covering the cost of making The Waimate Conspiracy. His Rotterdam trip was also part of the prize package.

While the film was shot on a hand-held digital camera in just six days in Waimate in 2004, it took three years of planning and preparation.

Stef persuaded well known New Zealand actors Jim Moriarty, David McPhail and Mark Hadlow to take part. All worked for free. Local amateur actors appear in the film and Waimate locals helped with props and vehicles.

Stef says while writing novels and screenplays are a lifelong obsession, he has no plans to give up his day job.