Stevo (2015)

A Wellington security guard brings traditional Māori ways of trade and barter to his life in the city to build a unique bridge between two worlds.

Stevo is an observational documentary about a charismatic Māori security guard who lives between two worlds. Rooted firmly in his culture, Stevo Winiata divides his time between a tiny mid-city apartment and his family home on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana in the remote rainforests of Te Urewera deep in the north island of New Zealand. The film follows Stevo as he prepares for his next trip to Te Urewera. As he collects discarded city junk and transforms it into valuable household essentials, and trades trout for cab rides and wild pork for coffee sacks, Stevo builds a web of community and engagement in a unique, utterly appealing way. Stevo’s alternative economy draws on tradition but is perfectly suited to a modern world rent with economic and environmental hardships. This is an uplifting portrait of an inspiring, irresistible and finely adapted 21st century man.