World Premiere Of Christchurch-based Architectural Documentary 'Maurice & I' At Christchurch Town Hall

The Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival is delighted to announce that MAURICE & I, a feature-length documentary by Christchurch-based filmmakers Rick Harvie and Jane Mahoney, will have its World Premiere at the Christchurch Town Hall on Wednesday 1 May as part of the film festival’s 2024 programme.

The film festival, entering its 13th year, is renowned for presenting the best architecture and design films to New Zealand cinemas. This year, it will screen in eight regions across ten cinemas, making it a nationwide event, a key annual film festival in New Zealand and ranking among the world's largest architecture and design film festivals.

MAURICE & I celebrates Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney’s hugely influential architectural partnership, and their legacy that was all but lost in the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. This remarkable partnership, their approach to design and their signature use of materials transformed the face of Christchurch in the 1960s and 1970s and influenced their architectural peers throughout New Zealand.

Then in 2011, almost the entire built legacy of Warren and Mahoney was destroyed. Among the buildings which suffered major damage was the Christchurch Town Hall, regarded by many, including the architects themselves, as their finest work. Internationally renowned for its elegant, brutalist form and sophisticated interiors, the Christchurch Town Hall revolutionised the design approach to performance spaces and acoustic engineering.

Filmmakers Harvie and Mahoney are looking forward to bringing MAURICE & I to audiences in Aotearoa New Zealand: "At its heart MAURICE & I is a film about creative partnership. We're excited to be partnering with the Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival to bring this story to lovers of modernism throughout the country – and to be premiering in the Christchurch Town Hall is such a thrill!”.

MAURICE & I combines rare archival footage alongside exclusive interviews with Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney, including their final interview together. "We filmed our interview with Sir Miles and Maurice in 2018, shortly before Maurice passed away," says co-director Jane Mahoney, Maurice's daughter. "It really was a special moment, bringing the two of them together for the last time, to reflect on their life’s achievements – there was lots of laughter, and a few tears shed that day".

Kathryn Bennett, Group Manager for Rialto Cinemas, expresses how important it is for the festival to launch the 13th edition with MAURICE & I at the Christchurch Town Hall: “The festival is a proud supporter of Aotearoa New Zealand filmmakers in the architecture and design space. We are honoured to present supporters of the festival and the Ōtautahi Christchurch community an occasion to celebrate these Cantabrian architectural revolutionaries. The occasion will provide a first-hand immersive experience of Christchurch Town Hall, one of Christchurch's most iconic buildings, and a moment to remember and reflect on the Christchurch earthquakes 13 years on.”

The film festival's curators are Yasmine Ganley, Sara Black, and Adam Bryce of the creative agency, ART DEPT. Director Yasmine Ganley says: “We were very excited to hear from the directors of MAURICE & I, Jane and Rick, about their work and investigation into two of our country's most renowned architects. Their story shapes a part of New Zealand history that falls beyond architecture or design and becomes a reflection of our community. We are passionate about supporting filmmakers who are creating such narratives, and films that are made by Kiwis for audiences in Aotearoa. This will no doubt be the leading film in this year's programme, which is great encouragement for any local and budding filmmaker.”

ABOUT THE FILM

Title: Maurice & I

Directors: Rick Harvie, Jane Mahoney

Year: 2024

Runtime: 98 minutes

Country: New Zealand

Production Company: Belmont Productions

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Rick Harvie – co director/producer

Rick founded Belmont Productions in 2000. Over the past 23 years he has produced and directed a variety of broadcast and corporate documentaries, commercials and music videos – most notably Resume Play ‘14, A Place to Remember ’16 and Len Lye: Mater of Motion ’23. Rick is driven by a keen interest in the human condition, combining his passion for storytelling with a strong interest in the visual and performing arts, music and architecture.

Jane Mahoney – co director/producer

Jane has spent almost two decades working in ‘story-telling’ industries. For twelve years she was producer and co-owner of Bannan Films, a production company specialising in cinematic, story-based TV commercials. Over that time, she was fortunate to work alongside some of the most talented creatives and technicians in Australasia and Asia. In 2018 she directed and co-produced the short film What Logan Did, part of the Loading Docs initiative.

ABOUT THE RESENE ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN FILM FESTIVAL

The Resene Architecture & Design Film Festival was launched in 2012 with the purpose of presenting the best architecture and design films, to New Zealand cinemas. From the first year, screening only at Rialto Cinemas in Auckland, the festival has significantly grown to now screen in eight regions across ten cinemas, making it a nationwide event, a key annual film festival in New Zealand and ranking among the world's largest architecture and design film festivals.

The festival was created by Rialto Cinemas with the support of Resene, the official naming rights sponsor. Nick Nightingale, Managing Director of Resene, is excited to share the latest edition of the festival with New Zealand audiences: “This festival allows us to share a treasure trove of inspiration with all of you that inspire us.”

The festival is now managed in partnership with the creative agency ART DEPT. Yasmine Ganley, Sara Black and Adam Bryce shape the artistic vision and secure a selection of the latest and most captivating architecture and design documentaries — both from around the world and locally made — to premiere to New Zealand audiences. Films are curated into four thematic pods, this year’s pods being — the iconoclastic, design radicals, a feminine vision and green-minded.

The 13th edition returns on 2 May to 3 July with the most extensive programme ever – eighteen feature films, six shorts, a world premiere with MAURICE & I, the festival’s first film in Te Reo Māori with Miriama Toms’ Tūhononga, and an exciting line-up of special events, including filmmaker Q&A’s and guest speakers.

The festival will play at the following locations:

Auckland Rialto Cinemas Newmarket 4 - 24 May
Nelson Pastorius Waller Theatre at The Suter Art Gallery 11 - 24 May
Wellington Embassy Theatre and Light House Cuba & Petone 18 May - 5 June
Dunedin Rialto Cinemas 1 - 14 June
Christchurch Deluxe Cinemas 8 - 25 June
Hawke’s Bay EVENT Cinemas Havelock North 8 - 21 June 
Tauranga EVENT Cinemas Tauranga Central 25 - 31 May
New Plymouth EVENT Cinemas 15 - 21 June

Check out the festival’s new website architectureanddesignfilmfestival.co.nz to find tickets.

© Scoop Media