Godzone Sheep

This thoughtful yet humorous documentary offers a wry tribute to New Zealand’s wooliest residents. With sheep outnumbering people, it's hard to ignore their influence. Through interviews with Chris Knox, John Gordon, Dick Frizzell, Michael Parekowhai and others, it pulls the wool away from New Zealanders’ eyes to poke fun at Aotearoa’s much-ridiculed relationship with sheep. From artists' images and souvenirs, to pet sheep and tourist sheep shows, these woolly icons have shaped the country’s economy and national identity. This was one of the earliest productions from company Greenstone Pictures.

Sheep are not individuals. Sheep are social animals. They move where other sheep move. They go in this mindless flock wherever the lead sheep goes, This was a metaphor for what New Zealand was like in the mid to late 70s— just heading there because everyone else was.

– Musician Chris Knox explains his band Toy Love's song 'Sheep', in clip four

Key Cast & Crew

John Gordon

Subject

John Harris

Producer

Nic Finlayson

Cinematographer

Chris Knox

Subject

Peter Roberts

Editor

Seth Keen

Director, Research