DEGANZ Watch List: One for the Factual Lovers
It’s been hard to keep up with all the new work from DEGANZ members coming out! For factual series lovers, here are series by members to check out across various platforms.
From looking into the past, to analysing the present, to thinking about how we can learn and progress for the future, these shows tackle social issues pertinent to Aotearoa.
Farewell Guangdong
Factual Series
Director: Lynda Chanwai-Earle
In 1937, Japan invades China. The Japanese sweep south to Guangdong, capturing the strategic port of Guangzhou. Many women and children try to escape war-torn China. Their husbands in New Zealand beg the government to grant them sanctuary here. These are some of the harrowing stories of our grandmothers and mothers, the pioneers of our community.
Based on Lily Lee’s publication Farewell Guangdong, the show uses dramatic re-enactments, interviews, and historical archive material to bring to life first-hand accounts from the wives and children who fled Guangdong, China during the second Sino-Japanese War from 1937 to 1945.
d8talk
Web Series
Director: Joe Canham
No matter where we come from, how we identify ourselves or what we’re into, the desire to find connection is universal. Over the next six months, a diverse group of young New Zealanders will take part in a dating conversation via a new social media project, d8talk. Simply put d8talk is people talking about dating.
The Niu Dawn – Lessons of the Dawn Raids
Factual Series
Editor: Laura McBeath
Unravelling the lasting echoes of the 1970s Dawn Raids: the extraordinary stories of what happened, why it matters and how young generations are using the lessons of the past as ways to deal with our future.
Queer Aotearoa: We’ve Always Been Here
Factual Series
Director: Harry Wynn
Join Eli Matthewson for a journey through the untold history of New Zealand’s queer community, celebrating the resilience of trailblazers who pushed for an inclusive Aotearoa.
To see more recent work from DEGANZ members, check out our 2024-2025 holiday watch list and latest catch-up piece!
Last updated on 9 April 2025
