Cap Bocage

Huge numbers were placed there for life. Some were deemed hopeless cases, never to be part of society again. These were the patients and residents of New Zealand's 'Bins', the huge psychiatric hospitals that dotted the country up until the 90s. 'Mental Notes' tracks the intersecting stories of five remarkable New Zealanders. Their marginalised experiences form the backbone of a social history that many still feel uncomfortable to acknowledge.

One-time Maori speed-chess champ, Genesis Potini, lives with a bi-polar disorder and must overcome prejudice and violence in the battle to save his struggling chess club, his family and ultimately, himself.

In a small rural town, a restless teenager rejects the ordinary life that surrounds him. He escapes into a world of graffiti, rebellion, and reckless chases with the local cops. Behind the bravado lies a deeper motive: to carry on the legacy of his late father, a graffiti artist who never finished his boldest tag.

This story brings to life how fragile ‘grown up relationships’ are. The fact that marriage has a 50% chance of working out is concerning and we follow Josh on his journey to realising that.