Congratulations to the entire team behind Joy, Full & Fearless, a beautiful hour-long documentary following Joy Cowley's astonishing life as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prolific, widely published and much-celebrated authors of fiction for adults and children.
Joy, Full & Fearless will be released on Monday 8 September at rnz.co.nz/video.
The project was directed by Clare Burgess, produced by Verity Mackintosh, and executive produced by Pietra Brettkelly.
With rare access into her personal life, director and friend Clare Burgess follows Cowley as she packs up her life and moves into a rest home in Ōtepoti, Dunedin. The author reflects on the poignant moments that have shaped her writing career. Her journey into children’s literature began by writing stories for her son, putting children in the centre of the narratives and making them the heroes.
Cowley’s adventurous and tenacious spirit has taken her across Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world, leading writing and spiritual workshops. She has also been an enthusiast of motorbikes and Tiger Moth planes, an avid fisher, arts and craft maker, wood turner, mother to four children and grandmother to many.
A resilient and imaginative writer, Cowley drew upon her own life experiences to create enchanting stories for young readers around the world. Executive Producer Pietra Brettkelly describes the documentary as one that holds immense importance in capturing the extraordinary life of Joy Cowley and providing audiences with a deeply resonant cinematic experience. “This documentary is a testament to the power of storytelling, the human spirit, and the enduring impact of one individual's journey.”
Produced by Krafty Productions for RNZ, with support from NZ on Air, Joy, Full & Fearless will be released on Monday 8 September at rnz.co.nz/video.