Stan
New Zealand music and acting idol Stan Walker leans on his mom, his faith and his Māori culture to fight a unique and potentially fatal cancer that has killed more than 25 people in his whānau (family).
- Filmmaker(s)
- Mitchell Hawkes
- Category
- Full-Length Film
- Subject Matter
- Family, Health
- Featured In
New Zealand music and acting idol Stan Walker has to fight a unique and potentially fatal cancer that has killed more than 25 people in his whānau (family). Stan allows cameras to get up close and personal, following him for months after he is diagnosed with a very rare cancer - a mutation of the CDH1 gene that can cause stomach cancer. Stan’s mother also carries the gene and the two of them are inseparable as Stan takes on the cancer with humour and determination, and the aim of performing on stage again.
Mitchell Hawkes
Mitchell specialises in creating emotional stories that deal with big concepts. His last documentary about kiwi singer Stan Walker Stan won Best Director at the DocEdge International Film festival. He also filmed the story of Awa, a transgender teen. Born This Way: Awa’s Story saw him win Best Director at the 2017 NZTV Awards. He also won best Multi-Cam Director for The Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Mitchell has written and directed many prime time series; from the science show Nigel Blows Stuff Up to The Curious Mind about the brain, from Rivers to Cadbury Dream Factory. He directed a series on pop culture and wrote the book tie-in.
He is also one of New Zealand’s leading multi-camera entertainment directors. His projects include The NZ Music Awards, X Factor, New Zealand's Got Talent as well as concerts for Ed Sheeran, Serj Tankian, Shihad and Lorde.
