Believe in the power of storytelling.
When people tell their own stories they have the power to change the world.
It is through story-telling that we find connection, and connection creates understanding.
black iris
Black Iris is an independent production company. We specialise in the development and creation of powerful and memorable documentary stories.
KATHLEEN MANTEL
Kathleen is the director of Black Iris Productions. She is an award winning director who has 20 years experience as a documentary maker in New Zealand and in the United States.
"Everyone has a story. It's often the quiet stories that might be missed with all the noise in the world that are the best and most intriguing"
— Kathleen Mantel
projects:
TE HOKINGA MAI
the return
Māori left rural life behind, in the fastest urban shift anywhere in the world.
And now the time to return has come.
8 x half hour documentary series for Whakaata Māori.
Funded by Te Māngai Pāho and NZ on Air.
Production Company: Black Iris
Director/Producer: Kathleen Mantel
Chatham Islanders
Tchakat Tchatam Airani
Rēkohu. Wharekauri. The Chatham Islands.
The first inhabited place to see the sun.
‘We’re 45 minutes ahead, and 30 years behind’
CHATHAM ISLANDERS is a 7-part documentary series about life on The Chatham Islands. It’s a series about people, community, isolation, connection and making it through tough times.
“Everyone’s a character on The Chatham Islands.”
Rēkohu is the land of plenty, stunningly beautiful… with a dark past and a mistold history.
Production company: Black Iris
Producer/Director: Kathleen Mantel
Platforms: MTS/RNZ/TVNZ/FRENCH TV/SBS
THE BARBER
The Barber is a documentary series about Barber Peleti Oli-Alainu'uese and the Māori and Pacific community of men who frequent his Hastings barbershop.
The series follows Peleti as he confronts his past in an attempt to heal himself and support his community.
Production Company: BLACK IRIS
Director/Producer: Kathleen Mantel
Platforms: MTS/RNZ/STUFF/SBS
documentaries
Director: Kathleen Mantel
Whānau - Director
Documentary Whakaata Māori
High School Mums – Director
Documentary series TVNZ1
Making New Zealand:
Mining, Forestry, Construction - Director
Documentary PRIME
Target Zero - Director/Producer
Documentary MTS
The Palace - Director/Post Director
Documentary series MTS
Whānau Ora: The Story - Director
Documentary TV3
Educating Tama - Director
Documentary MTS
The Green Chain - Director
Documentary MTS
Dying for a Smoke - Director
Documentary TV3
Tamariki Ora: A New Beginning - Director
Documentary series MTS
Raising the Moko - Director
Documentary MTS
Crowded House - Director
Documentary TV1
Leaving the Exclusive Brethren - Director
Documentary TV3
It’s Not a Game - Director
Documentary TV1
Easy Money - Director
Documentary TV3
KIDS - The Story of Teenage pregnancy - Director Documentary TV2
awards
Chatham Islanders - Tchakat Tchatam Airani
Best Factual Series
- NZTV Awards
Bronze Winner
-New York Festivals Film and TV Awards
Official selection:
-Berlin TV Series Festival
-ImagineNATIVE Film and Media Festival
-FIFO Tahiti.
High School Mums Finalist
Best Factual Series
- NZTV Awards
The Green Chain
Best Popular Documentary
- NZ TV Awards
Best Short Documentary
- Doc Edge Festival
Official Selection
- FIFO
Target Zero
NZONAIR Best Television documentary
Crowded house
Bronze Remi
- Houston International Film Festival
Leaving the Exclusive Brethren
Creative Excellence
- US Film and Video Awards
Silver
- Houston International Film Festival
It’s Not a Game
Merit
- Hugo Awards Chicago
Silver
- Houston International Film Festival
KIDS
Gold Remi
- Houston International Film Festival
Arts Reporter Finalist
- Qantas Media Awards
G4TV promo Gold PROMAX Advertising award for LA company G4TV