As part of Christchurch Heritage Festival, Tūranga and Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision have curated a selection of recently-preserved archival material with a special focus on how filmmakers told the story of Christchurch Ōtautahi and its people.

Explore Christchurch as it was. This special compilation features unique and recently preserved footage of Christchurch from the last century.

A Daughter of Christchurch (1928) B/W silent drama 

Using local actors, extravagant characters and a stock script, A Daughter of Christchurch is a classic ‘Girl of Our Town’ two-reel community comedy. Produced by pioneering New Zealand filmmaker Rudall Hayward, names and locations would be changed as the film crew travelled between towns. Of the 23 he produced in 1928 and 1929, only a few survive.

Cookery Nook (1955) B/W sound 

A man attempts to bake afternoon tea, with disastrous results. This extended cinema commercial promoted Edmonds Baking Powder and featured radio’s much-loved Aunt Daisy. While ‘Dad’ flounders in the kitchen, his daughter and her friends from home science class rush to the rescue. Includes a visit to the Christchurch Edmonds factory to see how baking powder is made.

Pacific Magazine Shadow of Summer (1956) Colour, Sound 

During a cold and drab winter, this newsreel shows the bright colourful patterns of the coming summer's swimwear being sewn in a Canterbury factory. Filmed in vibrant Eastman Color, this clip joins a group modelling the new outfits on a Christchurch beach (possibly Sumner) and describes each with a playful metaphor that is about ‘as subtle as a mermaid's tail’.

Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision, New Zealand's National Audio Visual Archive, is delighted to be collaborating with Tūranga to bring you this event. 

This event takes place in the TSB Space, Level 1, Tūranga.

Image reference: A Daughter of Christchurch (1928) Frame enlargement from material preserved and made available by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.