Nights for Wednesday 31 August 2016

7:12 Ethical Kiwisaver investment

Michael Littlewood, former co-director of the Retirement Policy Research Centre at Auckland University, discusses socially responsible Kiwisaver investment.

7:30  At The Movies

Simon Morris reviews the remake of Ben-Hur, and a new comedy starring Mila Kunis and Christina Applegate - Bad Moms. Pick of the crop though is a small but perfectly formed film from Jordan. Theeb was nominated for a Best Foreign Film Oscar this year.

8:12 Nights' Overseas - Canada

Journalist for Medicine Hat News, Peggy Revell, reports from Canada on the nation's farewell to alt rock heroes The Tragically Hip, a return to peace-keeping and the exit from parliament of Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

8:30 Window on the World

Looping Swans reveals how Swan Lake has shaped the history of modern Russia and - even now - emerged as a powerful political 'meme' in the Putin era. When tanks rolled into Moscow on 19 August 1991 during a dramatic anti-Perestroika coup by Soviet hardliners, the USSR's state-controlled airwaves offered a curious response: a continuous loop of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Ballet, of all things, served as balm for the revolution underway.

9:07 The Drama Hour

We have the second part of Mervyn Thompson's autobiographical survey of kiwi theatre, Passing Through, plus The Harvest, A fable of love and commitment. After being market gardeners all their lives, age forces a couple to sell up. Though no longer gardeners, the old lady gathers a harvest of a different kind.

10:17 Late Edition

A round up of today's RNZ News and feature interviews as well as Date Line Pacific from RNZ International,

11:07 At the Eleventh Hour

Nick Tipping hosts a journey through the jazz spectrum playing favourites, standards and new releases along the way. This week: Inspired by a new addition to his family Nick takes a journey through jazz tunes with girls' names.