The stars of one of the most expensive TV dramas in New Zealand history have turned out in Kaitāia to attend a preview screening of their new show Far North.

The first episode of South Pacific Pictures for Warner Brothers six-part series was shown at Kaitāia’s Te Ahu Cinema last night in front of an excited home crowd.

The main characters and New Zealand acting royalty Temuera Morrison (Once Were Warriors, Star Wars) and Robyn Malcolm (Outrageous Fortune, Black Bird) attended the event.

The series – filmed in the Far North – is the most expensive show to ever be shot in Te Hiku and is based on the dark albeit hilarious tale of the country’s largest-ever drug bust.

It retells the events of June 2016, where an international drug ring from China attempt to deliver almost 500kg of methamphetamine (around $500 million) to the iconic Te Oneroa a Tohe (Ninety Mile Beach) near Ahipara.

‘Ed’, a 70-year-old diesel mechanic, and his aqua-aerobics instructing wife ‘Heather’ are embroiled in the drama when Ed is tricked into helping an Auckland drug gang who claimed they needed to spread the ashes of a loved one but in reality, needed help to launch their boat to pick up the drugs from the “mothership” at sea.

Ed becomes suspicious and after a series of mishaps, the delivery fails spectacularly. Eight people are eventually sent to prison for their role in the importation of drugs.

Far North series’ director and New Zealand filmmaker David White (This Town, Meat) said he’d been staying in Ahipara for work when the trial for the drug bust began.

He was immediately intrigued by the story. He embarked on a three-year research journey during which he formed a close friendship with the real-life Heather and Ed, whose names were changed for the series.

“When it first broke in the media, I didn’t think the full story was being told because normally police shout this kind of thing from the rooftops,” White said.

Malcolm and Morrison, who play Heather and Ed, also became good friends with the real-life couple. They were on set guiding the stars around their feelings and emotions for each scene.

Prior to filming, Morrison hadn’t spent much time in the Far North.

He said after two months on set, he’d been humbled by the experience of playing Ed and the warmth of the local community.

“They still have the old Kiwi values up here…I’d open the door and there was a bucket of kina or mullet waiting for you.

“We even had interns from Kāitāia High School on set, bossing us around, it was pretty raw,” he said.

Malcolm said when the cast and crew first came to Ahipara, there was initially a bit of anxiety from locals about how the story would be portrayed.

She said the Far North, like any other place, had its problems but the series highlighted the beauty and strong community spirit of Te Hiku.

“I know people were a bit nervous about us shining a bad light on the Far North but this story is the absolute opposite.

“Wellywood has had its day- I think the future of film is up here now,” Malcolm said.

The 200-strong Far North cast and crew ascended on Ahipara last year where they filmed the series over several weeks.

White said it had been the biggest production he’d ever worked on, which meant lots of pressure and responsibility.

He said despite “the circus that turned up”, locals had embraced them and he hoped they felt a sense of pride watching the series.

‘I’m just in awe of this place and the community,” White said.

Far North also stars Demetrius Schuster-Koloamatangi (The Panthers, Red, White and Brass), JP Foliaki (Red, White and Brass), Xiao Hu (Homebound 3.0) and Xana Tang (Mulan, Dead Lucky, Bad Behaviour).

The series has already been sold to several international markets and a book, also named Far North, is now on sale.

Far North premieres on August 14 and will air on Mondays at 8.30pm on Three or can be streamed first on ThreeNow.