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Telling the Wahine Disaster
By Sharon Barbour, director of The Wahine Disaster
(July 2008)
The 1968 sinking of New Zealand's grand passenger liner the Wahine is one of the worst maritime disasters in that country's history. Radio and television captured the drama as it happened within a short distance from the shore of the eastern suburbs of Wellington. Had the ship broken up immediately, all 734 lives would have been lost. The fact that only 52 died is a miracle.
Growing up in Wellington, I have always been moved by the story. I recall stories of men rallying around trying to get their small boats out - to rescue survivors. I found some old, yellowed clippings of the story in my mother's drawer and began to research the story. Slowly, I began to get hold of survivors... but many had never spoken of the tragedy - and still couldn't.
Although one or two books had been written, it was from the survivors - the crew I tracked down, and rescuers - and lengthy court enquiry documents I read that I began to piece the story together. I made a radio documentary that was broadcast on all the private stations across New Zealand to mark the 20the anniversary of the disaster. I continued the research, and at the same time began to write a screenplay. |
| Earlier this year, I flew to New Zealand from the UK where I now work for the BBC, and filmed the many survivors, rescuers and crew I had tracked down. The interviews were intensely moving - as many had never before and said they will never again speak of the disaster.
The film was shown on NZ Television on April 9th - the anniversary of the night the ship had set sail. The next day, it was shown at the Wellington museum to survivors and their families. Two thousand people turned up. I had donated the film to the museum, and there were four packed screenings.
In the last few months, the film has gone on to win the top award at the UK's Swansea Life Film Festival. Hundreds of films were screened from all over the world, in what organizers claim is the largest UK screening. I was thrilled they chose Wahine Disaster as the best in the festival. -MPM
The film is now a finalist in other film festivals around the world - including the Moondance Film Festival and the International Film Festival of South Africa. It was also screened recently at the Tribeca Cinema in New York, and is in the pipeline for broadcast on BBC4.
See The Wahine Disaster at the Regent Theatre (near CBS) on Thursday, July 31st at 6.30, as part of the West Hollywood International Film Festival.
Photos courtesy of the filmmaker. |
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