The Tribute

A web-series about New Zealand’s Covid-19 jab casualties and the absurd & abject way they’re treated by the health system.

Please help us make this film! SUPPORT US HERE! Your donation will help the editing, animating and more filming across New Zealand. Teaser out soon!

Many Kiwis paid dearly— with their health— amid the nation’s virus battle during New Zealand’s covid vaccine roll-out. This confessional-style web series offers a heartfelt tribute to the vaccine-injured’s endurance and experience, and to the families of those who lost their lives from the jab.

Directed by Gaylene Barnes (River of Freedom, 2023; Project Fiftyone, 2025)

THE TRIBUTE is a web-series about Covid-19 vaccine injured New Zealanders: Some were coerced to receive the vaccine under threat of job loss or to retain access to society; others trusted the government and rolled up their sleeves to be a part of the team of five million. But for these New Zealanders, that vaccination event was life-altering—they were harmed.

We explore the way they were then treated by the New Zealand health system. Many are seriously ill, yet they are still fighting for care and financial support. They are belittled by health professionals and stigmatised when seeking help for vaccine injury. They have to fight for acknowledgement of what seems obvious—that the Covid vaccination event immediately caused their sudden loss of health.

THE TRIBUTE gives a voice to these vaccine injured people, some of the many thousands across the country with shocking stories of harm and disrespect. Many of these injured New Zealanders are working incredibly hard to find effective treatment in order to live their diminished lives with hope and dignity. Others are struggling to move on. Yet collectively, they are determined to speak out and inspire others—to prevent this ever happening again.

They talk about how angry they were to discover the truth of the risks, having been denied informed consent—the risks, benefits and alternatives—they believed the government’s sustained narrative on the benefits of the vaccine with no disclosure of potential harms.

We speak to whistleblowers in the health system with stories of overrun hospitals and whispered conversations in the back rooms—”don’t get another vaccine”. We also include experts who examine issues such as whether the government’s stated public health goals were a justified limitation on bodily sovereignty. The New Zealand Bill of Rights 1990 ensures all Kiwi’s have the right to “refuse to undergo medical treatment”—why was this right to choose so blatantly ignored? Is it ever acceptable for the state to breach the rights of New Zealanders to refuse medical treatment?

They ask, why are we paying the price? And, how do we ensure this never happens again? This ongoing series positions the injured as advocates, not just victims, whose stories can drive change.

We explore the fear, censorship and silencing that lies at the heart of the New Zealand pandemic response. Many of our Covid-19 vaccine injured are finding healing outside of the mainstream medical model. They have also found hope and support from long time advocates such as Lynda Wharton from the Health Forum NZ and from New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out with Science, amongst others.