July 18, 2025 • 7 mins
Grace: A Prayer for Peace
Artist Robin White (Ngāti Awa) has spent more than five decades creating work which ranges from iconic New Zealand landscapes to collaborative tapa cloth. Grace: A Prayer for Peace, directed by Gaylene Preston, traces White’s evolution as an artist, and her creative response to the world around her.
Filmed in Aotearoa, Japan and Kiribati, the documentary follows her working with collaborators and reflecting on what drives her creativity. Grace offers a meditation on living a creative life in motion — shaped by community, faith and a deep engagement with the Pacific.
Universal Language
Two women find frozen cash, try to retrieve it. A tour guide leads tourists around Winnipeg sites. A man quits his job and visits his mother.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from news Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Quenqua. Thank you for your messages this morning. Calder Jack
not only was moo and absolute beats maestrone all round
nice guy, he also played great golf in tennis, says
(00:34):
John from Middemar. Thanks John ninety two ninety two if
you want to send us a message this morning, It's
time to get your film picks for this weekend. Francesca
Rudkin is our movie reviewers. She's here with us now Kilda.
We're going to start off with one of the top
hits at the New Zealand International Film Festival this year.
Have a listen to this. This is Grace a Prayer
for Peace.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I think the paintings are a bit like us human beings.
We're born with what we have and we have to
head out into the world with it and make the
most of it, you know, and that's our life.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
This is a documentary about New Zealand artist Robin White,
So tell us about Grace A Prayer for Peace.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Yes, one of our greatest living artists, printmaker and beautiful
painter as well. This documentary is always a bit like
a collaboration. You could stay between Dame Robin White and
one of our greatest documentary makers, Dame Gayleen Preston, and
Gailien follows Robin for a couple of years shooting this film,
and she's created something I think that's really special. Robin
(01:40):
White has an expansive body of work and an incredible career,
but I think this isn't a biopical trying to put
it all into place. It's a real glimpse of the
artist at work. So there's a couple of things happening
in this documentary. First of all, Robin White takes us
around the Something is Happening retrospective exhibition of hers and
(02:03):
she talks to us about the works, and it's a
real treat to hear hear her talk about the relationship
between art and audience. We get this personal tour and
insight into her work. So there's this and she's and
at times Gayleen is also sort of heard and on screen,
and it feels like you're having this very personal tour
yourself with the artists learning about her work. But for
(02:26):
the majority of this film, Robin, we follow Robin going
about her work, and this too is such a great
treat with Gallen sort of focused on two aspects of
her recent career, when she's been in Japan where she
did a residency, and also when she went to Cure
of Us and she lived there a long time ago,
(02:47):
and twenty years later, she finally decides to execute this
work which has been in her mind for all this time.
So we watch her going about this process, we watch
her create these works, and it's really wonderful to hear
what inspires her work, what she wants to convey, her motives,
the methods and the material girls she uses, how she
(03:07):
conceives the work then composes it. I found it absolutely
fascinating and I I, you know, Robin White has this
created this incredible legacy, and I think this film reminds
us about the importance of capturing the meaning behind her
significant works and learning from them from the artists themselves.
(03:30):
You know, it's I think, I think Gailen's just given
us this u this very special, moving, thought provoking film
here that elevates the experience of you know, seeing her
works and understanding the way she does it. And she's
done a really great job of filming the works as well,
because nothing beats seeing a piece of art in front
(03:54):
of you in person, right, But she comes very very
close here. She's done a really great job of filming
some especially some of Robin massive canvases, like you know,
I almost I felt the power of them through the screen.
I think this is going to be stunning to see
on the big screen. It really is a very special film.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I can't wait to see it. I love Robin White's work.
Did you see a couple of years ago, it was
probably eighteen months or so ago the Auckland Ark Gallery
had that incredible Robin White.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, and that's what she yes, that's what she takes
us around, right, So that's part of it, and I
love that it is likely in your own little to it.
But what I really loved was seeing her working and action.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Thing.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So this is screening at the New Zealand International Film Festival.
It's getting off on the thirty first of July. It's
running through the tenth of September around the whole country,
one hundred plus films, lots to choose from. What is
quite lovely though, is that this year they're also screaming
war stories our mother's never told us. And this is
a treasure. This is in the treasure section because this
(04:55):
is I think about thirty years old. This was also
directed and producers by Gaining Preston, so it's quite lovely. Yes,
it was released in nineteen ninety five, so it's quite lovely.
We have one of her classic treasures in the film festival,
and we also have one of her most recent works
in the film, which kind of special.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
They are so good, Okay, cool, So the film is
Grace A Prayer for Peace. Next up, this is a
film showing in Cinema. Cinema is not at the International
Film Festival. It is a universal language.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
So I thought that maybe if you don't want to
wait for the film Festival, you would like to see
a nutty, sweet, little absurdist art house film. This might
want to about this is It's absolutely delightful. It's a
Canadian film, but it's in French and Farcy. It's kind
of like this cross cultural absurdist comedy comedy. It's written
and directed by Matthew Rankin, so it's inspired by Iranian
(05:46):
films and lassie seems to be very very common in
the setting of Winnipeg, and it's got a touch of
Wiz Anderson styling to it and we meet a range
of seemingly random people going about their lives. Two school
kids trying to get a large bill out of some
frozen ice, this insane teacher who's struggling with his students,
the civil servant from Quebec come to see his mother.
(06:09):
A tour guy that takes people on the tour of
the most sort of underrated things you could ever imagine,
like a briefcase that has been sitting on a seat
since nineteen eighty seven. It is really quirky and weird
and strangely compelling, and all these people kind of come
together at the end. The styling's great. It's there's sort
of these gray, beige brown districts. There's lots of concrete
(06:30):
and brick, and then there's just these crazy bursts of
sort of color and quirky kind of eighties costumes, and
it's just it's you're sitting going this shouldn't make sense,
and this shouldn't pull me in, but it absolutely does.
It's the sort of surreal realm, and it's funny and odd,
and you do need to be a discerning film goer.
(06:52):
It is not for everybody, but take a look at
the trainers and see if it's for you. I really
enjoyed its good.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Yeah, okay, cool. So that's universal language that's showing in
cinemas now. Grace A Prayer for Peace. The documentary about
artist Robin White is showing at the International Film Festival.
Thanks so much, Francesca. You have a great weekend and
we will catch you so we'll make sure those films
are up on the news talks. He'd be website as well.
I'll tell you what Robert like I say, we're big
fans of Robin White in our household, and I'll let
(07:19):
you in on a little bit of a romantic story.
When my wife and I were engaged, I was looking
for something kind of special along with the along with
the ring, of course, to ask for her hand in marriage.
And I end up getting a little Robin White original,
just a small one, just a little humble one, very
small to put on our walls. So we are very
(07:43):
lucky to have. It's like it's like, you know, like
the size of a postcard and is like far and
away our most kind of treasured artwork at home. So
I know what you're thinking, Yes, missus, Tame is very lucky. Indeed.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
For more from Saturday Morning, with Jack Tame. Listen live
to news talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from news Talks at b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Quenqua. Thank you for your messages this morning. Calder Jack
not only was moo and absolute beats maestrone all round
nice guy, he also played great golf in tennis, says
(00:34):
John from Middemar. Thanks John ninety two ninety two if
you want to send us a message this morning, It's
time to get your film picks for this weekend. Francesca
Rudkin is our movie reviewers. She's here with us now Kilda.
We're going to start off with one of the top
hits at the New Zealand International Film Festival this year.
Have a listen to this. This is Grace a Prayer
for Peace.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I think the paintings are a bit like us human beings.
We're born with what we have and we have to
head out into the world with it and make the
most of it, you know, and that's our life.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
This is a documentary about New Zealand artist Robin White,
So tell us about Grace A Prayer for Peace.
Speaker 4 (01:18):
Yes, one of our greatest living artists, printmaker and beautiful
painter as well. This documentary is always a bit like
a collaboration. You could stay between Dame Robin White and
one of our greatest documentary makers, Dame Gayleen Preston, and
Gailien follows Robin for a couple of years shooting this film,
and she's created something I think that's really special. Robin
(01:40):
White has an expansive body of work and an incredible career,
but I think this isn't a biopical trying to put
it all into place. It's a real glimpse of the
artist at work. So there's a couple of things happening
in this documentary. First of all, Robin White takes us
around the Something is Happening retrospective exhibition of hers and
(02:03):
she talks to us about the works, and it's a
real treat to hear hear her talk about the relationship
between art and audience. We get this personal tour and
insight into her work. So there's this and she's and
at times Gayleen is also sort of heard and on screen,
and it feels like you're having this very personal tour
yourself with the artists learning about her work. But for
(02:26):
the majority of this film, Robin, we follow Robin going
about her work, and this too is such a great
treat with Gallen sort of focused on two aspects of
her recent career, when she's been in Japan where she
did a residency, and also when she went to Cure
of Us and she lived there a long time ago,
(02:47):
and twenty years later, she finally decides to execute this
work which has been in her mind for all this time.
So we watch her going about this process, we watch
her create these works, and it's really wonderful to hear
what inspires her work, what she wants to convey, her motives,
the methods and the material girls she uses, how she
(03:07):
conceives the work then composes it. I found it absolutely
fascinating and I I, you know, Robin White has this
created this incredible legacy, and I think this film reminds
us about the importance of capturing the meaning behind her
significant works and learning from them from the artists themselves.
(03:30):
You know, it's I think, I think Gailen's just given
us this u this very special, moving, thought provoking film
here that elevates the experience of you know, seeing her
works and understanding the way she does it. And she's
done a really great job of filming the works as well,
because nothing beats seeing a piece of art in front
(03:54):
of you in person, right, But she comes very very
close here. She's done a really great job of filming
some especially some of Robin massive canvases, like you know,
I almost I felt the power of them through the screen.
I think this is going to be stunning to see
on the big screen. It really is a very special film.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
I can't wait to see it. I love Robin White's work.
Did you see a couple of years ago, it was
probably eighteen months or so ago the Auckland Ark Gallery
had that incredible Robin White.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, and that's what she yes, that's what she takes
us around, right, So that's part of it, and I
love that it is likely in your own little to it.
But what I really loved was seeing her working and action.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Thing.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
So this is screening at the New Zealand International Film Festival.
It's getting off on the thirty first of July. It's
running through the tenth of September around the whole country,
one hundred plus films, lots to choose from. What is
quite lovely though, is that this year they're also screaming
war stories our mother's never told us. And this is
a treasure. This is in the treasure section because this
(04:55):
is I think about thirty years old. This was also
directed and producers by Gaining Preston, so it's quite lovely. Yes,
it was released in nineteen ninety five, so it's quite lovely.
We have one of her classic treasures in the film festival,
and we also have one of her most recent works
in the film, which kind of special.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
They are so good, Okay, cool, So the film is
Grace A Prayer for Peace. Next up, this is a
film showing in Cinema. Cinema is not at the International
Film Festival. It is a universal language.
Speaker 4 (05:23):
So I thought that maybe if you don't want to
wait for the film Festival, you would like to see
a nutty, sweet, little absurdist art house film. This might
want to about this is It's absolutely delightful. It's a
Canadian film, but it's in French and Farcy. It's kind
of like this cross cultural absurdist comedy comedy. It's written
and directed by Matthew Rankin, so it's inspired by Iranian
(05:46):
films and lassie seems to be very very common in
the setting of Winnipeg, and it's got a touch of
Wiz Anderson styling to it and we meet a range
of seemingly random people going about their lives. Two school
kids trying to get a large bill out of some
frozen ice, this insane teacher who's struggling with his students,
the civil servant from Quebec come to see his mother.
(06:09):
A tour guy that takes people on the tour of
the most sort of underrated things you could ever imagine,
like a briefcase that has been sitting on a seat
since nineteen eighty seven. It is really quirky and weird
and strangely compelling, and all these people kind of come
together at the end. The styling's great. It's there's sort
of these gray, beige brown districts. There's lots of concrete
(06:30):
and brick, and then there's just these crazy bursts of
sort of color and quirky kind of eighties costumes, and
it's just it's you're sitting going this shouldn't make sense,
and this shouldn't pull me in, but it absolutely does.
It's the sort of surreal realm, and it's funny and odd,
and you do need to be a discerning film goer.
(06:52):
It is not for everybody, but take a look at
the trainers and see if it's for you. I really
enjoyed its good.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Yeah, okay, cool. So that's universal language that's showing in
cinemas now. Grace A Prayer for Peace. The documentary about
artist Robin White is showing at the International Film Festival.
Thanks so much, Francesca. You have a great weekend and
we will catch you so we'll make sure those films
are up on the news talks. He'd be website as well.
I'll tell you what Robert like I say, we're big
fans of Robin White in our household, and I'll let
(07:19):
you in on a little bit of a romantic story.
When my wife and I were engaged, I was looking
for something kind of special along with the along with
the ring, of course, to ask for her hand in marriage.
And I end up getting a little Robin White original,
just a small one, just a little humble one, very
small to put on our walls. So we are very
(07:43):
lucky to have. It's like it's like, you know, like
the size of a postcard and is like far and
away our most kind of treasured artwork at home. So
I know what you're thinking, Yes, missus, Tame is very lucky. Indeed.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
For more from Saturday Morning, with Jack Tame. Listen live
to news talks he'd be from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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