Pictures: Dane Scott, Decoy, Serena Stevenson.
A rare optic nerve condition may have dimmed the sight of Auckland photographer and filmmaker Serena Stevenson, but her creative vision is in sharp focus.
As she readies herself for the one-night premiere of her latest directorial project Three Days In February, an immersive experience merging film and live music, Serena’s story proves even the most challenging obstacles can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
The one-of-a-kind doco is a celebration of community and connection set on the shores of Tāpapakanga during Splore Festival. Serena, 54, has now been connected to the festival for more than 20 years.
“I love dancing and dressing up, and Splore is the biggest dress-up party you’ll ever go to,” she smiles. “The festival has captured my heart from the start, with its creative freedom, stunning landscape and incredible community.”
Inspired by her experiences, Serena started using her photography and filmmaking skills to tell the stories of the festival, its performers and audience members. As her involvement grew, she found herself leading crews of up to 30 people to create five musical mini-documentaries. They brought her initial vision for Three Days In February to life in 2021.
“I remember sitting in the audience watching the first test trailer and thinking I wasn’t sure if it was the film I wanted to make,” reveals Serena. “Then a few weeks later, in August 2021, on the second day of Auckland’s Level 4 COVID lockdown, I woke to find my lower peripheral vision was dark. Everything changed.”
Serena rushed to an eye clinic. Tests and hospital scans revealed she had a rare eye condition causing swelling of the optic nerve, plus a severe deterioration in the connection between her brain and eyes.
“Over the next couple of weeks, I watched my vision slowly get very thin. I was in and out of hospital during lockdown for tests and steroid treatment. We did everything to try to get the swelling down.”
After a period of “profound grief and shock”, when she realised her sight would never be fully restored, Serena started to find clarity in the confusion.
“Even though I was really in absolute shock, I knew from the minute it happened, it was a gift strangely. I looked at ways to calm my nervous system and ate a fully clean diet. Every time Mum came over, she would say, ‘Oh, God, you look amazing!’”
Serena describes her mum Pasqualina as her “best friend and absolute rock”, helping her to navigate the challenges of her condition.
“Mum is an incredible, hard-working woman who sprinkles her fairy dust on everything. She’s also the best Nonna to my son Jakob [now 11], who has had to adjust to life being different too.”
Serena says her Italian heritage also shapes her storytelling. For years, she photographed her family around the dinner table. She plans to turn the images into a cookbook celebrating food, family and connection.
“The dinner table is where life happens,” she enthuses. “It’s where we see each other, talk and laugh. That’s what Three Days In February is about too – bringing people together to celebrate life.”
Serena’s compromised sight doesn’t hold her back from her day-to-day work and creative projects. Her computers are set to dark mode so there is no white glare on her screens. She also voice messages rather than texting as it’s faster.
“My crews are really very thoughtful and give me views in shadow areas,” shares Serena. “And my editor Sarah Grohnert is super-patient. We laugh a lot during the process!”
With creativity such an important part of Serena’s wellbeing, even in the early days of her sight issues, she was still thinking about the Three Days In February project and how to progress it.
“A friend of mine said, ‘Have you considered the poetic documentary genre?’ and it was like a lightbulb moment,” she reveals. “I knew I wanted to show how healing it is to get into nature, move our bodies, laugh our heads off, hug each other, and do all those things which keep us well and connected in the uncertain, technology-focused world we inhabit in our daily lives.”
Once the new direction had crystallised, Serena returned to the documentary with renewed enthusiasm.
The film highlights three days at Splore, capturing the interplay of day and night, nature and people, art and community. It features a series of beautiful long shots and different vignettes showcasing the experience for multiple festival-goers. Several musicians have collaborated to create a score, which they will perform live during the actual screening.
“The goal is for the audience to feel like they are participants too. They get to choose which emotions are driving them through it,” tells Serena. “The immersive experience will start as soon as people walk through the Civic doors. Live music, interactive performances and playful entertainment will be available before the screening. Then, there will be an after-party hosted by the legendary Lucky Star crew at the venue.”
As Serena looks back on her own journey, she sees her challenges not as a limitation, but as an opportunity to grow.
“My eyesight is impaired, but my vision has never been clearer,” she says. “This film is about joy, connection and the spark of life which brings us all together. That’s what I want people to take away from it. That no matter what challenges we face, we can still find beauty, creativity and connection.”
The premiere of Three Days in February is at Auckland’s Civic Theatre on Friday.
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