Story: Documentary film

Snows of Aorangi, 1955

The first New Zealand film to be nominated for an Academy Award was the 20-minute documentary Snows of Aorangi. It follows an international group of three skiers down Aoraki/Mt Cook, also known as Aorangi. The director, camera operator and editor was a young photographer named Brian Brake, who was then working for the National Film Unit. He later became an internationally renowned stills photographer with the Magnum photo agency. This clip shows the skiers as they reach the lower slopes of the mountain.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Reference: Snows of Aorangi. National Film Unit, 1955

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Helen Martin, 'Documentary film - Educating the public – 1940 to 1960', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/43585/snows-of-aorangi-1955 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Helen Martin, published 22 Oct 2014