Tainui Stephens (Te Rarawa) is an independent film and television producer, director, executive producer and presenter. He lives in Otaki.
Tainui was raised in Christchurch. He started his working life in 1980 as an investigating officer for New Zealand’s Race Relations Conciliator, Hiwi Tauroa. He commenced his broadcasting career on contract to Television New Zealand in 1984. For the next 17 years he acquired extensive training and much production experience with over 500 hours of programming. In 2000 he went independent and established his company Pito One Productions. He expanded his work into film production, cultural consultancy, governance, and writing. Tainui’s first short film (as a director) THE HILL was selected for the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals in 2002. He was a producer for the Vincent Ward features RIVER QUEEN and RAIN OF THE CHILDREN. He continued to make a wide range of documentaries like HE WHARE KORERO, LET MY WHAKAPAPA SPEAK, and HITLER & THE GUMDIGGERS. His entertainment shoes have included ITS IN THE BAG and MY COUNTRY SONG.
Tainui and his wife Libby Hakaraia have a wide range of film and television projects in development and production. Tainui sits on the Maori film development body Te Paepae Ataata, and was a producer for Toa Fraser’s latest feature THE DEADLANDS.
Tainui is committed to the role of the Maori storyteller in all modern media. He is comfortable working in a wide range of genre and content, and is personally attracted to compelling stories that critique and celebrate the human condition.
