The Hitch-Hiker

Behind the wheel of a car rigged with concealed cameras and microphones, Ginette McDonald embarks on a slow road trip from Auckland to Wellington, seeking out stories from the road. En route she picks up every hitchhiker she comes across, including two Japanese men on a working holiday, a couple living in a house truck, two lost little girls and their dog, Israeli soldiers on a gap year and a pair of backpackers on the brink of a breakup. With her disarming wit Ginette engages each in conversation, secretly recording their unfiltered confessions and perspectives on life (but getting permission afterwards, to put it on air). This two-part documentary screened on TV3’s Inside New Zealand slot.

I am on a very slow journey from Auckland to Wellington. But I'm also on another kind of journey, a journey to seek out stories from the road. And who better to tell them than that eternal optimist — the hitchhiker.

– Ginette McDonald, at the start of this documentary

Key Cast & Crew

Eric Derks

Director, Producer

Ginette McDonald

Presenter