Kōpū

28/06/2025

🎥 DocEdge 2025 - who else is keen?

Yup, it’s been a hot minute since we last showed up here. If you’ve been following us, by now you know taking space on the gram isn’t really our jam & that’s okay.

Yet, we show up when it matters.

While the festival has already started we’d like to shine a special light on a movie: “Before the Moon Falls” - and encourage our Auckland audience to watch it.

🤔 Why this doco?

Aside from the fact it sounds like an intriguing story, you will be supporting the 9 years of work Kimberlee Bassford, the film director, a mother & a friend, has poured into bringing this story to your eyes.

We met Kimberlee about a year ago & to say her personal journey through the making of this film was inspiring, is an understatement. To us, she is the definition of resilience. Between the grit, the passion, the professionalism, we’ve been astounded with her commitment & her storytelling skills to showcase the intricacies of mental health.

So, who’s up for it??

✨ I - will be there 😉 come & join me for the next date in AKL:

Date: Wed 9th July
Location: Bridgeway cinema
Time: 6pm
The movie: Before the Moon falls
Followed by Q&A with film director.

07/01/2025

Kia ora - Hello online world, it has been a while.

We don't usually mingle with politics, yet it is increasingly impossible to hold our words when women & Indigenous rights are blatantly baffled.

Given the diverse fabric of our organisation, given our values and aspirations, we wish to highlight this wise statement from a fellow filmmaker - Golshifteh Farahani With only a few hours left to submit your perspective on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill, we encourage you to rethink what future you envision for Aotearoa New Zealand.

For those convinced the bill will serve our nation, we ask you to ponder the following:
- Has this bill been drafted through genuine consultation with Māori stakeholders & transparent legislative processes?
- Do the reactions triggered by this bill showcase unity?
- Would you qualify the pathway this bill has taken as an inclusive decision-making process?
- Who will benefit the most from this change?
- Has diminishing the rights of Indigenous populations ever led to thriving nations & successful democracies?
- What is this bill trying to distract you from?

The Treaty is fundamentally based on a partnership between the Crown and Māori, and central to this partnership is the concept of mutual consultation, cooperation, and consent, especially on matters that affect Māori rights and interests.

Check out ' interview on .nz and decide for yourself if the amendments proposed to this partnership sit right with you.

For a thorough understanding of the controversies surrounding this bill, we invite you to read/listen to the content created by who has done an astonishing job at deconstructing all aspects of the text.

For those needing help submitting, check out with her tutorial video or all the resources created by

"It is only when we let fear take over and when we do not speak up that we let people down" Kahurangi Tariana Turia 🖤 1h30 to submit!

13/07/2023

From one star to others: Mānawatia a Matariki — Happy Māori New Year! ✨

Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki.
Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi.
Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te tau.

Celebrate the rising of Matariki.
Celebrate the rising of the lord of the sky.
Celebrate the rising of the New Year.

While kōpū (Venus as the morning star) is not part of Matariki, we hope this year, you will dare to learn more about its meaning.

Et une Bonne Fête du 14 Juillet 🇫🇷 (Happy Bastille Day) à toute notre audience française 😉

On our documentary journey, we were told there was no coincidence but providence. It is particularly special to celebrate today the French Revolution against the economic power of the time (1789 - aka the Monarchy) on the same day Matariki is celebrated in Aotearoa New Zealand - a fairly new proclaimed bank holiday representing a revolution on its own.

21/06/2023

Opening up a new chapter.

Envision a world where the time women spend raising children is seen as equally valuable as building a business.

Introducing you to kōpū: Unconventional Motherhood Wisdom. A documentary exploring the rich diversity of motherhood and the far-reaching skills that the experience yields. A purpose-driven production company using storytelling to advocate for equity, fostering multi-ethnic and pangender solidarity.

Ko te whaea te takere o te waka | Mothers are the hull of the waka (ship)

Kōpū, the Māori word for womb, represents the great life-giving power that mothers possess. Another Māori term for the uterus, te whare tangata, literally translates to “the house of the people”--the original origin of us all. Kōpū is also the Māori word for Venus as the morning star - a persistent feminine symbol in many Western cultures but also, as the brightest object in the sky, a guiding star in several mythologies, religions and provincial cultures.

Our eponymous film channels the wisdom that accompanies this power and examines its influence on different spheres of life. In recent years, mothers have been thrust to the sideline of our culture as they care for their children. Yet care is the life-giving force that sustains health and well-being, binding together societies and ecologies. While motherhood archetypes have gently evolved, a constant remains: the perceptions bound to the role. Our film reexamines and reinvigorates our understanding of motherhood for a new generation of parents juggling career and parenthood, to help us re-learn the truth that mothers learn a valuable range of skills through the experience of child-rearing.

Read the rest of our synopsis by visiting our website: www.mykopu.com
Sign up for our newsletter to follow us on our documentary production journey.

A documentary & social movement exploring the far-reaching skills that the motherhood experience yields. We believe that by breaking the stigma associated with motherhood, there lies the potential to reach gender equity once and for all.

13/09/2022

“Never forget that it only takes a political, economic or religious crisis for women’s rights to be called into question. These rights can never be taken for granted. You must remain vigilant throughout your life." Simone de Beauvoir.

This quote hasn’t aged (sadly).

Last year, we wanted to conclude our documentary crowdfunding campaign pitch with a quote from a longtime favourite French author and staunch feminist.

Yesterday, we were reminded how relevant are these words by outstanding women in the heart of Aotearoa NZ Parliament House. Saunoamaali'i Karanina Sumeo Nina Santos from Kiri Hannifin ngā mihi nui for all the work that you do. Words have mana and the energy you shared in the room this evening was tangible.

We will continue the mahi and ensure no bystanders are left unshaken in the quest to

Thank you to National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ) for the inspirational event that brought us together and happy 125th anniversary 🎉

28/12/2021

The first milestone as a team ✅

Can you remember the last time you set yourself a goal with narrow chances to hit it?
When we embarked on our crowdfunding journey, the odds of making it through were abysmal.

One of us was starting a new job meanwhile anchoring down in a new home and having to deal with the unfathomable grieving pain of losing a relative overseas with no other option than “zooming in” at the funeral.

One of us was going through rounds of laborious interviews and a myriad of obstacles to access a dream job.

One of us was moving a whole family across the globe during a pandemic and having to reinvent a new life on a new continent.

One of us was taking on a new contract of work while co-sharing the burden of homeschooling two primary school children during a 4 months lockdown.

One of us - also in lockdown - was kickstarting a new freelance career while tending for 3 little kids, mostly on their own.

One of us was utterly challenged professionally having to raise investment for the company they led while isolating at home with children.

Some of us - if not all - were pushed to the edge of what our mental health could take on.

Yet, we made it through. We hit our very 1st milestone as a team thanks to the generous support of 46 sponsors who contributed to raising $2,240. A touching gesture of trust that was purely built on our words + each and everyone’s commitment to achieving a 9km challenge for 5 days.

We are beyond grateful for what took place over the last 3 months regardless of the challenges. This milestone is allowing us to build confidence in the following chapter and what we can achieve next.

With only 3 days left before our Give A Little page ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D closes for good, we want to thank you all.

Whether sponsor or not, your attention in sharing or discussing our message has been priceless. And for those of you who left it to the last minute - now is the time to contribute.

Rest assured there will be other opportunities & we will keep you posted on our progress.
It is undeniable you deserve that.

Bring on 2022! Mā te wā

📷 Herve Villard from

07/12/2021

270 km in, sore legs but final stretch!

As we close in on our crowdfunding goal, AJ had a sit-down with Claire to discuss what we aim to accomplish through a documentary that explores the unique skills associated with motherhood.

Watch the video for a taste of it :)

A gigantic THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us in our journey so far. We are humbled to see so many of you cheering us on and joining our quest for gender equity - we can’t wait to take our filming to the next level.

Your astonishing generosity is allowing us to kickstart the work required for a pitch trailer starting with branding, digital assets purchase, travel expenses and video equipment rental.

More than ever, we are determined to put ‘the motherhood penalty’ to rest and that’s precisely what we intend to do through compelling, action-oriented media.

Fundamentally, our , inspired by the 9 to 5 Movement has reminded us that we should "never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world" - Magaret Mead. Beyond our crowdfunding campaign efforts, we have reached hundreds of individuals across the globe and triggered conversations on gender equity in many households, according to the feedback we have received.

This is an undeniable win on its own, but it's only a start.

With $180 missing, it is our final stretch and our last call to help us get there. We're asking you to donate if you haven't already or share this campaign today simply because we need to secure more funding to cover the forthcoming documentary making costs.

Ngā mihi nuī, thank you very much, merci beaucoup, ačiū from our international team.

01/12/2021

"Then 2020 happened."

When one crisis accentuates another.

Day 3 + day 4 ✅ - while we can keep pointing out all the unfairness in this world, we also want to show you what could take place if we were to shift our mindset a little when it comes to motherhood. And being so close to hitting our goal, it looks like we might be able to :)

Go on Daniel Tomlinson last few kilometres may get us to bring our documentary to life.

Women start a lot of businesses, but when it comes time for them to grow, many hit a wall, or the women founders end up losing control. Why? We bring you two indicators on women and work from our daily podcast The Indicator. Also, Amanda and Stacey go on a picnic to prove a point. | Subscribe to our...

30/11/2021

Day 2 ✅ for Daniel Tomlinson and one important stat on was mentioned in his post:

"This morning I was a little more focused - two laps on the beach with the "Business is Boring" podcast from

Why am I doing this? A good cause of course! Walking 9km for 5 days in a row to raise money for a documentary on the skills mothers develop during maternity (hello, time management, empathy, project management, communication, etc.).

Time to hit you with a stat - Pow! Across the OECD women are paid about 10% less for work in similar roles. If you are a women reading this in December - congratulations you are effectively working for free for the rest of this year."

Since we started this campaign, on the 24th of October 2021, women from all across the OECD, effectively started working for free for the rest of the year. In fact, some started even earlier:

- American women on August 24,
- Pasifika women on September 22,
- Māori women on October 3,
- Asian women on October 23,
- Australian women on November 1,
- French women on November 3,
- British women on November 9,
- Pākehā women on November 15

Just to name a few.

This isn't to get you angry but to get you organised.

👉 https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

Donate, share or start your own to ensure gender equity doesn't become a lost topic.

29/11/2021

Shout out to Daniel Tomlinson for starting his 👏 9km for 5 days and 1st Dad joining our cause!

Just tuning in & wondering what this challenge is all about?

Have a read at Dan's latest post ⬇

Follow his fundraising efforts -> share/donate OR... kickstart your own if like us, you're determined to take actions to support

=======

"The start of my 9to5challenge!

This morning I left the house at 5:45 am to walk 9km to help raise money for .

The statistics:
- 9.9%: the gender pay gap in NZ, which sits in 9th position in the Global Gender report
- 4.4%: the average drop in hourly pay once women are re-employed after having children
- 27.8%: the percentage of women who work full-time or are self-employed three years after childbirth, versus 90% of men.

Claire Thiveyrat, Asmeet Sran-maiden Hansra, Dr Romas Malevicius , Aj Reid, and Claire Prangley are crowdfunding for a documentary that explores the unique skills forged in motherhood (or fatherhood) with the aim of elevating the collective view of what the experience means."

DONATE HERE ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

25/11/2021

Day 5 🥳 and the end of #9 👏

A massive thank you to her for her input and determination. Fitting this challenge while in a lockdown with 3 minis to look after and contract work to deliver... RESPECT 🙂

"The end of my 9to5challenge -our crowdfunding venture to support women who work that happen to be mums! 🎉 Thanks Bec for joining me on this epic forest walk.

DONATE HERE ⬇️

https://bit.ly/3Egaz9D

We want to help women reach their full potential while raising children and support employers in retaining valuable talent, breaking the stigma associated with motherhood and reaching gender equity once and for all.

Consider the below statistics:
- 9.9%: the gender pay gap in NZ, which sits in 9th position in the Global Gender report
- 22.5%: percentage of NZX directors that are women
- 4.4%: the average drop in hourly pay once women are re-employed after having children
- 27.8%: the percentage of women who work full-time or are self-employed three years after childbirth, versus 90% of men.

We believe that a documentary exploring the unique skills that accompany motherhood is the best way to set this paradigm shift into motion. 🔥

Thank you for your support. Dad, if you haven't donated already please do. This cause isn't just about women ;) x"