Conversations With Wāhine

Harita and Haley interview Wellington filmmaker Isabel Corfiatis ahead of the Doc Edge Film Festival 2026 about her debut feature documentary "Music and the Mystical Experience", screening in Auckland from 24 June to 12 July and Wellington from 15 to 26 July.

The film follows musician and sound engineer Michael Sutherland and a collective of more than twenty New Zealand artists collaborating on a six hour musical work designed for use in psychedelic therapy. Filmed primarily in Wellington over three years, it explores creativity, healing, collaboration, and the role music can play in therapeutic settings.
 
This is Isabel’s first feature and first documentary, and she’s taken on an incredibly hands on role across directing, cinematography, editing, and co producing. The project originally began as a short before naturally growing into a feature as the team realised there was simply too much story, process, and conversation to contain in fifteen minutes.
 
The documentary was inspired after Michael completed the six hour composition and, through an APRA mentorship with Tiki Taane, was encouraged to document both the music and the wider creative process behind it. Isabel then came on board and helped shape it into a feature focused on collaboration, process, and the human stories behind the work.
 
She speaks really thoughtfully about making ambitious independent work with a tiny crew, Wellington’s creative community and why the city became such an important backdrop for the story, and approaching a topic that some people still see as controversial through a deeply human lens.
Screening dates:
Auckland: Fri 26 Jun 6:15 PM - The Capitol Cinema Sun 12 Jul 1:15 PM 

Auckland: Takapuna Beachside Cinemas Sat 18 Jul 5:45 PM 

Wellington: The Roxy Cinema 1 - Mon 27 Jul to Mon 10 Aug 

Christchurch: Sat 1 Aug 8:15 PM - Koawa Studios, Canterbury University

What role can museums play in inspiring the next generation of innovators, scientists, and creative thinkers?
In this episode, Laura is joined by Elizabeth Cotton and Julie Baker from MOTAT (the Museum of Transport and Technology) in Auckland. Together, they explore the power of curiosity, hands-on learning, and the important role museums play in connecting people with science, technology, and history.
Drawing on their diverse backgrounds in museum leadership, engineering, education, and science, Liz and Julie share their experiences, insights, and passion for creating meaningful learning opportunities for people of all ages. Whether you're interested in education, innovation, or simply love discovering how things work, this is a fascinating conversation you won't want to miss.

Harita interviews Dillon Jo.
Dillon Jo are a queer, female-fronted four-piece creating dreamy, genre-blurring indie rock inspired by dream pop, shoegaze, folk and alt-rock. Formed in Wellington by Betty Smith and Georgie Levien in early 2025, the band has quickly made waves with a string of local performances, supporting acts including The Rions, Foley, Wet Denim, Hemi Hemingway and Coast Arcade, while building a reputation for their expansive live sound.
Following a standout showcase at Wellington’s San Fran in 2024 featuring Sure Boy, Casual Healing and Mikeyy, Ones To Watch returns to the capital with another round of fresh talent.
Ones To Watch continues to champion Aotearoa’s thriving music scene, shining a spotlight on the next generation of artists making waves across the country. Since its inception, the programme has showcased an impressive range of musicians across genres spanning pop, indie, rock, electronic and hip hop, celebrating the very best of local music.
You can find out more about Ones to Watch here:  OTW-NZ

Lindy Hume is an Australian opera and festival director, who has worked throughout Australia and internationally. 
She was born in Sydney. Her father taught primary school and also worked as a film censor. Her mother was a psychologist at the University of Sydney.
Lindy was Artistic Director of West Australian Opera (1992–1996), OzOpera and Victorian State Opera (1996–2001), and Director of the Perth International Arts Festival (2004–2007).
She was appointed as Director of the Sydney Festival in 2008,and led it from 2010 to 2012.
As of June 2017 she is Artistic Director of Opera Queensland. Her productions for Opera Queensland included a 2014 season of Verdi's Rigoletto inspired by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. She fosters the creation and presentation of performance in regional Australia, and performances in eight regional Queensland centres of Puccini's La bohème in 2014 featured local singers in the chorus.
Her freelance productions also included a season of Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride for Sydney's Pinchgut Opera, described by Hannah Cunningham of The Sydney Morning Herald as "a near perfect production".

Lindy has a long association with New Zealand Opera spanning over 2 decades, having directed 8 previous operas for the company.

The first opera she directed for NZ Opera was back in 2002, when she directed a highly acclaimed production of Bizet's Carmen. It was a massive success and traveled across the country, firmly cementing her relationship with New Zealand audiences.
Lindy is currently in Wellington directing her 9th opera for NZ Opera: The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart’s most famous opera, playing at the St James Theatre on 17, 19 and 21st June. Further info can be found at nzopera.com

Harita interviews Erika Grant.
Erika is an artist primarily working in the areas of music and costume, but loves to dabble in all sorts of different mediums. Beginning with music when she was just a wee bairn playing in orchestras and classical ensembles, since she’s become a grown up she’s played in all sorts of bands, acts and groups, including but not limited to “Orchestra of Spheres”, “Cookie Brooklyn and The Crumbs”, “Fertility Festival” and Rosie Langabeer’s “Best Most Happiest Fun Sexy Cabaret of Good Fortune and Prosperity”. She’s made music for film, theater and marching bands, and is currently creating Gong Baths for the people of Wellington. Erika is also an Astrologer and Music Teacher, and is fascinated with the ideas of shamanism, quantum physics and magic and myth.
Erika is also involved in 3 Loemis festival shows this year, Night Market, The Night Crossing, and Beata Nox.