A Decade of Storytelling - December Newsletter 2025
Kia Ora,
For over a decade, Happen Films has offered quiet, powerful stories that illuminate pathways toward a more connected, regenerative world.
Rooted in deep care for land and community, their collection of 44 inspiring and heart-warming films explore how we can live well within the planet’s limits, even in the smallest of spaces, by listening, being creative, and sharing a collective sense of purpose with the community of life around us.
From the Limestone Farm series to Living the Change, to the award-winning The New Peasants, their films have become supporting companions to movements in food sovereignty, permaculture, food forestry, zero waste living, and indigenous-led healing around the world.
At the heart of these films are co-founders Jordan Osmond and Antoinette Wilson, who first met in 2015 as a couple, and went on to shape the project with a blend of cinematic precision and grounded storytelling.
Now, as Happen Films pauses new production and the founders move into separate journeys, we honour a deep legacy that continues to ripple.
These otherwise untold stories of inspiring people and grassroots movements give us hope - glimpses of the collective world our hearts know is possible. Beyond seeing it - the millions of views, and dozens of community screenings across the globe have helped us feel it.
As we mark this moment of change for Happen Films, we celebrate not just what has been, but what has been seeded - in film, in community, and in each of us. All films are available free to watch online at https://happenfilms.com.
Please enjoy the collection below, highlighting some of our favourite Happen Films from the last decade, followed by the latest updates from our local ecosystem.
Season’s blessings.
- Biome Trust
15 Years of Limestone Permaculture Farm follows Brett & Neci transforming a barren property in NSW, Australia, into a thriving permaculture oasis. This story (including 3x short films) is the first, and last from the Happen Films duo. More
Being the Change at 85 covers the story of lifelong activist for change Helen Dew of Carterton, Wairarapa (13 mins). More
Strawbale Dream Home follows the building of a beautiful eco-home with straw bales and traditional timber joinery in Victoria, Australia (25 mins). More
Rongoā Māori: Healing People & Place features renowned Rongoā Māori practitioner Donna Kerridge (11 mins). Watch
The Food Forest Farmers follows the story of Northland’s Permadynamics, a decade long journey of implementing permaculture practices to regenerate a degraded hillside into an abundant 1.5 acre food forest (22 mins). More
Closing the Loop covers the story of Greg & Lisa taking radical-self-responsibility by creating quality soil with their own composting toilets (7 mins). More
Fools & Dreamers: Regenerating a Native Forest covers the regeneration of Hinewai Nature Reserve, on NZ’s Banks Peninsula, and it’s kaitiaki/manager of 30 years, botanist Hugh Wilson (30 mins). More
Hua Parakore follows the journey of Dr Jessica Hutchings and building indigenous food sovereignty with the Hua Parakore organic framework (8 mins). More
The New Peasants is an award winning film covering the journey and lifestyle of a family who, for 20 years, have been transitioning away from modern industrial culture toward a radically simple, sustainable, and beautiful way of life - featuring 4x films (66 mins). More
Giftee Updates
Papawhakaritorito Trust’s Jessica Hutchings features on The Invisible Ingredient Podcast - Ep 8: Living Knowledge - Glyphosate and Food Sovereignty. More
Mangaroa Farms recently hosted the Earth Fellows Hui, gathering 10 leaders from across Aotearoa in kai, whenua and community housing. More
Underground Festival features legendary organic dairy farmer Gavin Fisher sharing about the nutrient benefits of planting trees on NZ farms. More
Learning Environment is hosting Te Pātaka Rangatahi Leadership Climate Camp - a 4-day camp in Whanganui, March 12–15 2026. More
Kaicycle Urban Farm highlights their year in numbers, including kai donated, compost created, and volunteer hours. More
Tiwaiwaka’s Pā McGowan shares about his recent experience at the Earth Fellows hui at Mangaroa Farms. More
One Earth highlights the importance of Ecological Corridors for wildlife to travel across landscapes as key to protecting biodiversity. More
Kelmarna Community Farm is hosting a 10 week Farm Hands programme to gain learning experience in regenerative organic food growing and farming. More
Kōanga Institute published the Kōanga 2026 Garden Diary, featuring moon cycles, seasonal planting instructions and garden tasks. More
Local Futures hosts teacher, poet and post-activist, Bayo Akomolafe, in the final Bristol Conversation Series with Helena Norberg-Hodge. More
Future Whenua is hosting the annual summit at Pākōwhai Marae Te Tairāwhiti / Gisborne on 13-15th March 2026. More
Toru Education’s final newsletter for 2025, featuring upcoming permaculture events & community news can be read here.
Garden To Table is empowering kiwi kids to grow, harvest, prepare and share quality kai - grown in their own backyards. More
Te Kura o Papatūānuku Wairarapa Earth School fosters kids passion for science and technology through hands-on, garden-based learning. More
Kōkopu (Genus Galaxias) species in Aotearoa are declining in number, endangered by habitat loss, water degradation & fishing. More
Additional News
Predator Free NZ highlights the Guardians of the Galaxiidae: protecting Kōkopu eggs from rats. More
Conservation Labs Sentinel is AI for the frontlines
of the biodiversity crisis making data-driven decisions to respond to wildlife-related threats. More
RNZ highlights how Manta rays are now considered nationally vulnerable in NZ. More
Donna Kerridge features as a keynote speaker at the Indigenous Wellbeing Conference “Indigenous Models of Care: A Pathway to Wellbeing for People and Planet". Watch
“Fortunately, nature is amazingly resilient. Places we have destroyed, given time and help, can once again support life.”
