Libby in business hall of fame

Libby in business hall of fame

Ōtaki storyteller, filmmaker, producer, and director Libby Hakaraia has been honoured with induction into the Kāpiti/Horowhenua Business Hall of Fame.

At the Electra Business & Innovation Awards on October 23, Libby was recognised for her outstanding contributions to Māori storytelling, film, and the Ōtaki community.

Her journey began at just 17, when she started her broadcasting career at Radio Waikato. Her early work as a journalist sparked a passion for Māori affairs and the untold stories of her people. Over the next 14 years, she honed her skills in journalism, working both in New Zealand and abroad, alongside some of Aotearoa’s Māori broadcasting legends.

Transitioning from journalism to filmmaking, Libby founded Blue Bach Productions in 2004. Her documentaries have covered a diverse range of subjects, from the wildlife sanctuary of Kapiti Island to the European tour of Fat Freddy’s Drop. In 2012, she created the short film The Lawnmower Men of Kapu in her home town, featuring many of her own whānau. The film won the people’s choice award at the Wairoa Māori Film Festival and was selected for 32 film festivals worldwide.

Inspired by this success and conversations with her whānau, Libby spearheaded the creation of the Māoriland Film Festival in Ōtaki. Launched in 2014, the festival has grown to become the largest Indigenous film festival in the Southern Hemisphere, attracting visitors from around the world and delivering cultural, social, and economic benefits to the local community.

Under Libby’s leadership, the festival’s success led to the formation of the Māoriland Charitable Trust in 2016 and the opening of the Māoriland Hub in 2017. The Hub is now a centre of excellence for Māori and Indigenous film and creativity, hosting the Toi Matarau Gallery, the Māoriland Tech Creative Hub (M.A.T.C.H), youth filmmaking programmes, performing arts, and live music and theatre.

Libby’s work has earned her international acclaim. She has served as a jury member at ImagineNATIVE, been an executive member of industry associations, and was a finalist in the 2014 Women of Influence Awards. In 2022, she was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and in 2025, Māoriland Productions & Film Festival won the economic and social impact award at the Global Production Awards in Cannes.

Throughout her career, Libby has uplifted others, nurtured emerging talent, and championed kaupapa Māori storytelling. Her vision and commitment continue to open doors for Indigenous filmmakers and enrich the Ōtaki community. Her induction into the Hall of Fame is a testament to her leadership, creativity, and enduring impact.

Libby joins nine other people with strong associations to Ōtaki who have been inducted into the business hall of fame since 2008. They include John Barrett, Ruth Pretty, John Mowbray, Peter Housiaux, Carl Lutz, George Sue, Collis Blake, Selwyn Hyde, and David Pritchard.