Jade holding a small wooden box on a road through New Zealand's mountains

An independent film by Christoph van der Bij

The
Greenstone

Sometimes you have to go far
to find where you belong.

Explore on Vimeo Discover the story

A story about love, persistence & new beginningsFilmed in New Zealand

01 / The story

A name. A photograph.
Half of a greenstone.

A journey across a country.
A search within.

After losing her mother, Jade discovers that her biological father is living on the other side of the world.

With a name, a 24-year-old photograph and one half of a pair of greenstone pendants, the young South African woman sets out for New Zealand. Somewhere, her father holds the other half.

From Auckland to Akaroa, strangers become companions and unexpected encounters change her course. Through grief, adventure and the pull of the past, Jade searches for answers — and a place to belong.

ProductionIndependent · DKLV

SettingAuckland to Akaroa

StarringCelé du Plessis

A pair of matching green pounamu koru pendants on braided cords

Two pieces. One connection.

02 / The greenstone

Connected,
even apart.

At the heart of the film is a pair of pounamu pendants. A connection between a daughter and the father she has never known.

Hand-carved by Sheree Warren, the matching pendants take the form of a koru: an unfurling fern frond, representing growth, harmony and new beginnings.

For Jade, her half is more than a keepsake. It is the beginning of a journey.

The other leading character

New Zealand.
Part of every frame.

Open roads, unfamiliar towns and landscapes that stay with you. From Auckland to Akaroa, the country shapes Jade’s story — including the impact of the Christchurch earthquakes.

03 / The people