THE SEARCH FOR TAHU NUI A RANGI
A Documentary film by Joe Murdie
It is said that Tahu-nui-a-rangi or the "Great Glowing of the Sky" is reflections from the campfires of ancestors that had settled in the South.
For those who know what it means to chase something that can’t be caught.
A phenomenon that arrives without warning, without rules, and with no guarantees, yet speaks to something deep and universal: our need to find light in the dark.
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Set across the powerful & remote landscapes of Aotearoa's southernmost reaches, from Central Otago to Rakiura.
This documentary follows the lives of a handful of aurora chasers who give everything for the chance to see the lights. They are photographers, dreamers, and wanderers, drawn not by adrenaline but by awe.
Storm chasing meets astro photography, and as their journeys unfold, so too do the deeper stories of isolation, purpose, ritual, and connection to the land and sky.
Woven with insights from auroral science, folklore and pūrākau, the film explores not just what the aurora is, but what it means.
SYNOPSIS
There’s something irrational about chasing the aurora. You lose sleep, drive for hours, freeze in the middle of the night, all for a chance that the sky might do something beautiful. I’ve done this more times than I can count. And every time, no matter how fleeting the glow, it feels worth it.
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- Director, Joe Murdie
'As the Sun sets over a vast wintery mountain range in Central Otago, a solo hiker with a large camera pack hurries along a ridgeline to reach the spot he has planned out.
He reaches his destination as the last sun rays fade, filling the sky with a deep purple and blue that bounces off the white snow for countless peaks into the distance.
He sets up his tripod in a hurry, attaches his camera, sets up an intervalometer, frames up his shot all while breathing onto his cold hands to try and keep warm.
It gets darker, and darker and then hits black.
Text fades in over the sounds of wind and camera shutter clicks'
For those who know what it means to chase something that can’t be caught.
This film follows 3 groups of obsessed 'Aurora Chasers' as they search for a glimpse of the Southern Lights.
Noodles for Breakfast
A family of Kiwis and Aussies based in Wānaka, who gained a following when they tramped the length of Aotearoa New Zealand on Te Araroa Trail.
As a family they love to head down to the lake shore and watch the lights, meet up with friends and connect over a love for adventure.
The Professional
A solo professional Photographer who chases the perfect photo of the lights to add to his gallery. He is seeking out the places no-one else has been, looking for the perfect composition, mixed with the perfect storm.
The Tourists
A young couple with a lifelong dream of seeing the lights have arrived in Wānaka with hope and anticipation.
MEET OUR CHASERS
Noodles for Breakfast at Lake Hawea
don’t whistle at the Aurora.
In Northwestern Canada indigenous Cree believed that if you whistled at the Aurora, the lights would swoop down, cut off your head and play football with it
Copyright 2025 - Bunker Street Film Co.
Producer contact: erin@bunkerstreet.co.nz