Private Project

Pluck

"I fell for Jeans beauty and generosity and her great endeavors with the Korowai so heart filling makes me aware of the greatness of women these humble clever determined kind souls." - Jane Campion

The story of Jean Neshausen (Tainui), bluntly spoken, loving and lippy. At 73 she’s survived all the challenges life has thrown at her.
12 years ago Jean learned to weave Korowai - traditional Maori feather cloaks
Her source of feathers is varied. Jean collects road kill, the beautiful male birds that don’t make it across the highway, locals drop dead birds off on her doorstep and she has at times resorted to unravelling feather dusters from the $2 shop.
For Jean, weaving Korowai is the ultimate taonga (gift) for her and for the wearer of her creation.

She has made 15 Korowai to date for leaders in her community.
But now she faces her own mortality with the realisation she hasn’t made any for her own whanau (family)

Jean not only wants but needs to make an authentic Weka feather korowai for her only daughter Gwendoline.
Weka feathers are second only to Kiwi feathers in status and the only place in Aotearoa (N.Z) where it is legal to cull Weka is on the Chatham Islands , Rekohu - 600 km’s off the coast of Christchurch.
It’s a tough time as she is now on her second round of chemotherapy but is adamant on one last trip.
Jeans openness and honesty is refreshing, she tells her story with humour and frankness. She is tough and resilient and unafraid to ring the neck of a Weka - or twenty - on a moonlit hunt with a dog named Koha.

  • Kirsty Griffin
    Director
    House of Champions, Amy Street webseries
  • Viv Kernick
    Director
    House of Champions, Amy Street webseries
  • Kirsty Griffin
    Writer
    House of Champions, Amy Street webseries
  • Viv Kernick
    Writer
    House of Champions, Amy Street webseries
  • Kirsty Griffin
    Producer
    House of Champions, Amy Street webseries
  • Jean Neshausen
    Key Cast
    "Jean"
  • Johnny Te Roto
    Key Cast
    "Johnny Rotten"
  • Milly Frazer
    Key Cast
    "Milly"
  • Maree Sheehan
    Musical Score
  • Kirsty Griffin and Julie Alp
    Editor
  • Studio Local
    Animation
    The legend of Baron Toa, Vai, Waru,
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    26 minutes 47 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 20, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    20,000 NZD
  • Country of Origin:
    New Zealand
  • Country of Filming:
    New Zealand
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    1080p
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16x9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Documentary Edge Festival - WINNER
    Auckland
    New Zealand
    June 12, 2020
    Documentary Edge Festival
    WINNER Best NZ Short
  • ImagiNATIVE Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    October 20, 2020
    North American
    Official selection
  • FIFO
    Tahiti
    February 6, 2021
    Tahiti
    Documentary short
  • Big Sky
    Missoula
    United States
    February 20, 2021
    North American
    Portraits
  • Maoriland Film Festival
    Otaki
    New Zealand
    March 25, 2021
    Documentary short
  • SIFF
    Seattle
    United States
    April 8, 2021
    Ancestors
  • Wairoa Maori Film Festival
    Wairoa
    New Zealand
    June 3, 2021
    Documentary short
Distribution Information
  • T.B.A
    Distributor
Director Biography - Kirsty Griffin, Viv Kernick

Kirsty Griffin (Ngati Porou, Ngati Awa) and Viv Kernick founded Bella Pacific Media together in 2011 developing a collaborative style that draws on their complementary skills which have been accrued over decades of working in the film and television industry and the nonprofit sector.
Kirsty is an accomplished stills photographer in the NZ film Industry.
In 2011, she received the Helen M. Stummer Scholarship, travelling to NYC to study documentary photography and photojournalism at the International Centre of Photography.
Viv has worked in full collaboration with Kirsty on their projects.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The stories we like to tell are about those who are often seen as just ordinary people, we love to find the thing that makes us all extraordinary. In our film we meet Jean who has a passion - weaving Korowai - the ultimate garment that represents mana (strength, power) in NZ , worn by graduates , medal winners, royalty . Used to cover the coffins to aid the spirit on its next journey.
PLUCK gives a voice and validity to older women - not often seen on the screen as a strong and vibrant part of our society.