Ivars Berzins

Ivars Berzins fell in love with photography aged eight, en route to TV assignments across New Zealand, in Norwegian fjords, and in East Timor. Berzins was chief cameraman in TVNZ's Wellington office before leaving in 1996 to start company Pacific Crews (now Pacific Screen), which he went on to run with his wife, producer Amanda Evans. These days he directs as well as films, including on documentary series New Zealand Stories.

It’s such a huge privilege to be let into peoples lives, and something I never take for granted. The ordinary can become extraordinary through the lens; and as such there are big responsibilities that come with documentary filmmaking. Ivars Berzins