Watch: Lili Sumner's Short Film 'How Fat The Bees Are'

By Lilian Sumner
Viva
Lili Sumner brings our cover shoot to life with her special behind the scenes short film. Photo / Guy Coombes


From the grandeur of Te Mata Peak to the sprawling sands of Waimarama Beach, top international New Zealand model and budding filmmaker Lili Sumner returns home to Hawke's Bay and covers our new Viva Magazine - Volume Two, in stores nationwide now, featuring an essay written by Lili, and a shoot styled by Viva's fashion director Dan Ahwa, and photographed by Guy Coombes.

To mark the launch, Lili captured her homecoming on film, exploring the destinations that have helped shape her creative spirit along the way.

Featuring music composed by Joe Locke and working closely with editor Britt Walton, the film captures the essence and freedom we're feeling right now for summer.

WATCH: How Fat The Bees Are 

Lili has worked for a variety of top fashion heavyweights including Marc Jacobs, Saint Laurent, Miu Miu and Sonia Rykiel, featured on the covers of Pop Magazine, WSJ (Wall Street Journal) magazine and Italian Vogue. She also features in M.A.C Cosmetics' new summer campaign.

Her first short film Lucan asks Why launched last year with the support of Gucci, and starred Coco Gordon-Moore, daughter of Sonic Youth frontwoman Kim Gordon, and Lilac Sky Cianciolo as her much-younger sister, exploring questions around modern capitalism and existentialist dread.

Having lived and worked overseas for many years and recently based in New York, Lili's recent return home to be with family and to focus on her next film project is a timely one in a year where many New Zealander's living abroad have made the journey back to Aotearoa to reconnect with their homeland.

"As we look around the world, the sense of freedom we have right now is so precious" says Viva editor Amanda Linnell.

"As a result, one of the great themes that resonate with the incredible people that have contributed to the pages of this magazine is a shared sense of gratitude."

"The joy and opportunity of summer are the essence of this issue: fun fashion, bubbles to party with, great summer reads, music to turn up loud, and dishes to feast on - all the things that make summer special."

Viva Magazine - Volume Two, is on sale nationwide for just $9.90 where the best magazines are sold. Click here for a full list of retailers.

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