Coal and the Coast: A reflection on the Pike River disaster

Paul Maunder has had a lengthy career in film and theatre. He has a wealth of experience in serving on panels and committees, particularly in the community arts sector. After university he studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney and then at the London Film School. Both writer and director of his films, his work has won many awards: Best short film at Berlin, Best Actor at Karlovy Vary, Golden Prize at the Asian and Pacific Young Filmmakers Festival, as well as local awards. In theatre, he has worked in mainstream professional theatre as well as group theatre and community-based theatre, devising and scripting many plays, both historical and bicultural. He has published articles in cultural magazines and short stories in a variety of collections. Some of his work has been recorded for radio. Last year, a collection of his stories, Tornado and other stories written over time, was published by Maitai River Press. Paul has recently received a PhD from the University of Canterbury for a thesis on Community-based theatre in NZ.