Julia Parnell

This often confronting documentary observes a Māori restorative justice model through the eyes of straight-talking Mike Hinton, manager of Restorative Justice at Manukau Urban Māori Authority. The bringing together of victims (including wider whānau) and offenders may offer an alternate way forward for "a criminal justice system failing too many and costing too much”. Restoring Hope kicked off Māori Television’s 2013 season of Sunday night documentaries. In a Herald On Sunday preview, Sarah Lang argued it was “enough to restore hope in local documentary-making.” I’m in an arena where people have high emotions, they get stressed and pressured. I’m reasonably confident that I can avoid situations where I’ll be unsafe. I don’t have any death wish — I’ve got a game of golf tomorrow. – Mike Hinton, on the dangers of the job

On a trip to find his birth mother, 18-year-old Aaron is forced to hitch a ride with a rough- looking stranger, Maka. Out of fear, Aaron rejects Maka’s friendship, but when the reunion with his mother doesn’t go quite as planned, he discovers that the stranger may just be the man to help him after all.

The story of lyrical genius, Martin Phillipps and his band, The Chills, is a cautionary tale, a triumph over tragedy, and a statement about the meaning of music in our lives.

The thing Sam ‘Fury’ Johnson regrets most in life is wasting his time at university when he could’ve been focusing on his real passion: video gaming. Now he’s got an opportunity to redeem himself in the gaming world. If they can win the national championship and beat out Australia, he and his team will be on their way to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Esports Championships.

A mysterious outbreak of tic disorders among young people leads Dr Robert Bartholomew to question whether social media is making us sick. Doctors have recently identified a concerning trend among young people: tic disorders potentially spread via TikTok videos. For sociologist Dr Robert Bartholomew, an expert in mass psychogenic illness, the trend isn’t surprising, but the potential consequences are alarming. Could the global scope of social media mean we are on the precipice of the world’s largest outbreak of psychogenic illness?

Wilbur: The King in the Ring is a comedic documentary, which wrestles with the worldwide obesity plight. Wilbur McDougall, a former pro-wrestler, agrees to let his best friend J. Ollie Lucks make a documentary about his gastric sleeve surgery and subsequent transformation. But in order to stay literally half the man he was, Wilbur will be forced to maintain a healthier lifestyle while Ollie’s altruistic intentions verge on exploitative.

SIX60 are a phenomenon. In the history of New Zealand culture, no musical act has ever garnered such a wide connection with fans. Their incredible story, from a Dunedin student band to becoming the first and only Kiwi act to headline Western Springs Stadium in front of 50,000 fans, will surprise even the band’s most ardent followers. For the first time, SIX60 open up about their personal battles, the lack of critical acceptance and the challenges of staying together.