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March 23, 2024 13 mins

The insular Greymouth community of Gloriavale has kept Kiwis enthralled as testimonies keep emerging.

A new TVNZ documentary, Escaping Utopia, promises to unveil the stories of people who've left the community- and the struggles they've endured.

Co-director Justin Pemberton says Gloriavale is going through a transitionary period following the death of their former leader.

"The community is now imploding, it's going through some sort of- either regeneration or collapse, and we don't really know which yet, it's very much a live story. I think that's why we felt so compelled to need to go and visit."

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