Corban learned how to overcome his abusive behaviour by joining a men's group. He shares that self-care and checking in with himself has helped him grow into a better person.
Soft piano music plays continuously in the background for the duration of the film. On a black screen is the text ‘Warning. This video contains discussions of violence. Viewer discretion is advised.’
Cut to a close up of Corban, a young man sitting in a warmly lit living room, facing the camera and talking to someone off screen. To his right is a round, white table. On the table is a leafy green plant in a big yellow pot, and a large candle is burning in a glass container. Behind him, the curtains are drawn. He is wearing a black cap with a Boston Red Sox logo, and a casual, checkered shirt with a plain t-shirt underneath it.
Corban: “Kia ora. I am Corban Shane Mita, and I'm from the Wairarapa, and I'm aged 24.” He smiles.
Cut to a black-and-white photo of Corban. He is shirtless, wearing shorts and boxing gloves. Standing in a boxing stance, his fists are raised and poised to punch, his eyes intensely fixed on an invisible opponent. On the screen appears the text ‘Taking steps for change’.
Cut to a few moments of Corban, his hands wrapped in tape, sparring in slow motion with a boxing trainer. Cut back to Corban’s face in the living room where he’s speaking. Corban: “That's when I decided, oh, maybe I just … just take action and do it, 'cos it was so hard for me to just take that step. My mum had a contact number for our family counsellor, and I went there, and she referred me to this men's group that was going on.”
Cut briefly to Corban getting out of the driver's seat of a white van, on his way somewhere and looking cheerful.
Cut back to Corban in the living room.
Corban: “She's like 'I really think you'd enjoy it, you'd take stuff from it' and I was just like, 'nah nah, I just want to do the one-on-ones, it's not that bad.’ I was minimising it — you know, denying it — and sort of blaming as well; and I sort of just took action with it 'cos I noticed the change in my parents, 'cos they had done this thing and they were … they're good now, you know.”
Cut to Corban holding an orange pen and taking a seat at the table in the living room. On the table in front of him is a notebook.
Cut to Corban opening the notebook and writing in it with his left hand: 'How was my sleep — sleep was …’
Corban: “I felt good walking in 'cos I was actually taking action in something that, you know, normally that I wouldn't.”
Cut back to Corban in the living room.
Corban: “It was good having the counsellors there, 'cos they were real welcoming and they sort of made you feel comfortable — made you feel like you're not coming in here getting interrogated — like, you know, 'how's your day ra ra ra, thank you for coming', and so that was quite welcoming and … and warm.”
Cut to Corban writing some more in the notebook.
Cut back to Corban in the living room.
Corban: “I felt like I was quite positive throughout the men's group because I could … I just learned all this stuff that I never learned before, and it was like, it would have helped me so much if I'd have learned that in college.”
Cut to Corban sitting on the top step of a deck. Behind him at the back of the deck against the house is a dog kennel with a food and water bowl next to it. Corban is wearing his black cap, a sleeveless jacket over a hoodie, shorts, and work boots. His eyes are shut, his face peaceful, and his elbows are resting on his knees with his hands clasped together.
Cut to a close up of Corban's face from below. His eyes are closed.
Corban: “The biggest one was probably self-care and, ah, checking in with myself,”
Cut to a close up of Corban's hands, his fingers intertwined
Cut to Ella leaning against a big purple cushion on a soft grey couch in the living room. She is wearing a fluffy, beige jacket over a black top and blue jeans. Her sleek, black hair is tied in a ponytail. Her bright, blue eyes shine.
Ella: “He's such a completely different person — he's still him, he’s still himself and still the old Corban, but he's just a better version.”
Cut to Ella and Corban walking out onto on an empty rugby field under a wide, hazy sky. The green grass gleams in the yellow sunlight. A large black dog trots between them, led by Corban. They stride together onwards, away from the camera.
Cut to a black screen.
