Please join me as I speak with Gaylene Barnes and Siân Clement about their wonderful new book about the 2022 New Zealand Parliament Protest and the making of the film River of Freedom.
Heart of the Protest is a must-have for all of us who questioned the covid dictates and governmental oppression, a book which documents a unique and powerful chapter in the social and political life of Aotearoa New Zealand. It can be ordered here:
https://riveroffreedom.nz/index.php/book-heart-of-the-protest/
and here:
http://www.tinyurl.com/heartoftheprotest
From Gaylene:
Gaylene Barnes, is a director, editor and cinematographer — and a painter and multi-media artist whose work is currently exhibiting in Paris. Award-nominated as both a production designer and an editor, she directed River of Freedom, and also edited the film and captured much of the footage alongside cinematographer Mark Lapwood and a wider team of contributors. Her additional credits include Seven Rivers Walking - Haere Mārire, exploring the significance of Canterbury’s rivers, as well as films documenting characters, survivors and rebuilding of community after the Christchurch mosque attacks and Canterbury earthquakes. More recently, she has been collaborating with Lynda Wharton from The Health Forum NZ on the web series The Tribute, which shares the stories of New Zealanders who have experienced Covid-19 vaccine injuries.
From Siân Clement:
I have spent most of my life as a publicist working in London, Sydney and throughout New Zealand. I have worked on numerous NZ film titles such as “Whale Rider”, “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?”, “Scarfies”, “Stickmen”, “Crooked Earth” to name but a few as well as TV series, musicians such as Jonathan Crayford and Paul Bosauder, Fringe Film festivals and Living Wood Fairs.
In 2006 I brought water theorist Dr Emoto to NZ after seeing the quantum physics documentary “What the Bleep Do We Know?” This was a sold out session of the Paramount. Working with a team of people I also toured Hordur Torfason around New Zealand. He instigated Iceland’s ‘Cutlery Revolution’ or ‘Pots and Pans’ revolution in 2008 which resulted in the collapse of the country’s three major commercial banks and a change of government as well as prosecution of bankers.
While raising my son in Golden Bay, I took a regular job promoting an environmentally friendly wastewater treatment system. I left after 10 years when my son left school and while trying to decide what to do next with my life, very clearly felt compelled to write about the Wellington protest which I was unable to attend.
Please share freely.
Emanuel E. Garcia, M.D.
February 2026
