Sacred Screen Episode 1
Have you checked out Sacred Screen yet? Hiona Henare has been prolific in interviewing leading Maori and international thinkers about their views on spirituality and indigenous belief systems. Wairoa Maori Film Festival and Nuhaka Films are proud to be supporters of Sacred Screen, and we are planning to host a Sacred Screen half-day symposium at our festival this year. Here is episode one:
(( Please SUBSCRIBE to Ancient Spirits Beckon )) Blessing our sacred screen for this Waitangi day special, we feature Ruia Aperahama and his korero on Maori prophets and prophecy.
Maori Film Letter, February 2015
The latest Maori Film Letter is now online, with the latest information on upcoming events partnering with the Wairoa Maori Film Festival. We are excited about the range of Maori and native films coming through around the world, check out the latest international film festivals, intriguing news from the world of entertainment, and some trailers of films you just might be seeing at the upcoming 10th BIRTHDAY Wairoa Maori Film Festival, May 29th to June 1st, Wairoa Aotearoa New Zealand! READ MAORI FILM LETTER >
T-TAHITI READY FOR LAUNCH
Its all go for T-Tahiti Film Festival (previously Te Nati) in Tahiti this April!
Film visionaries in Tahiti Tiairani Drollet Le Caill, Lennie Hill, Mark Ruak and others are making films in Tahiti and will be showcasing a collection of Maori films. The Maori film programme at T-Tahiti will be:
HOME by Apirana Ipo Te Maipi (Maori)
AHI KA by Richard Curtis (Maori)
TOHUNGA by Rebecca Collins (Maori)
IN THE RUBBISH TIN by Riwia Brown (Maori)
RISING DUST by Jack Woon (Non-Maori)
INC'D by Darren Simmonds (Pakeha)
Check out all the details on their website.
ROQUEFORT PACIFIQUE
Wairoa Maori Film Festival will be present at the Rochefort Pacifique Cinema & Literature in France next month. Held from 25 to 29 March in the town of Rochefort, France, the festival is an ongoing celebration of Pacific film and literature.
Literary luminaries who will be present include Witi Ihimaera, who has had three novels made into films - Whale Rider, Nights in the Garden of Spain, and White Lies. Witi Ihimaera's Patriarch/Bulibasha is currently in pre-production with Lee Tamahori tagged to direct.
A special programme of Maori-made and Maori-themed short films will be presented at the Rochefort Pacifique festival, alongside feature films including WHITE LIES, BOY and THE PA BOYS.
The Maori short film programme at Rochefort Pacifique is curated by the Wairoa Maori Film Festival:
URU by Hiona Henare (Maori)
AHI KA by Richard Curtis (Maori)
PUMANAWA by Poata Eruera (Maori)
TOHUNGA by Rebecca Collins (Maori)
IN THE RUBBISH TIN by Riwia Brown (Maori)
INC'D by Darren Simmonds (Pakeha)
BUTTERFLY by Renae Maihi (Maori)
FOOTSTEPS by Lennie Hill (Maori) (Filmed in Cook Islands)
Representatives of the Wairoa Maori Film Festival will look to strengthen ties with the film industry in France whilst at this festival, including to the CLERMONT-FERRAND FILM FESTIVAL where OW WHAT? by Mike Jonathon is currently screening.
Wairoa Takes Flight!
PRESS RELEASE 23 OCTOBER 2014: On November 1, Wairoa Maori Film Festival will take flight across the world with a selection of nine Maori-made and Maori-themed short films screening inflight on Air New Zealand. "Kia Ora Shorts is a new venture for the Wairoa Maori Film Festival and newly established Nuhaka Films," says Leo Koziol, Festival Director. "Discerning international travelers will be able to sample Maori culture in new contemporary short films, many of which screened at NZIFF Nga Whanaunga co-curated with Pollywood."
The selection of films screening inflight are:
BUTTERFLY Director Renae Maihi
HOME Director Apirana Ipo Te Maipi
TOHUNGA Director Rebecca Collins
AHI KA Director Richard Curtis
IN THE RUBBISH TIN Director Riwia Brown
MAUMAHARA Director Tamati Ihaka
FOOTSTEPS Director Lennie Hill
DOG ON DUTY Director Lennie Hill
RISING DUST Director Jack Woon
"These films profile the cultural issues of Aotearoa as well as presenting the stunning beauty of places such as the Hokianga and Rotorua," says Mr. Koziol.
Along with 8 Maori-themed films, Lennie Hill's FOOTSTEPS is a Maori / Pasifika film, director of Maori descent filmed in the stunning beauty of the Cook Islands.
NZIFF Nga Whanaunga is presented annually at the New Zealand International Film Festival. In 2014, the programme was curated by Wairoa Maori Film Festival Director Leo Koziol with guest curator Craig Fasi of the Pollywood Film Festival.
These films all go inflight on Air New Zealand long haul flights on November 1 2014.
ENDS
Official Festival Theme Announced
WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL 2015
THEME: NATIVE NOW!
Kia Ora Koutou Katoa!
The Official Theme of Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2015 is NATIVE NOW!
This is our landmark 10th year, and we are planning a future-focused event showcasing the best, the newest and the most innovative works of Maori, Polynesian and world indigenous screen art.
Our Call For Entries is now open. We are interested in works that are breaking the mould and shaping a new place within the 4th cinema and native screen realms. We want to see entries that have a transmedia showcase alongside a state-of-the-art screen work: be it short film, documentary, feature, documentary, experimental or media art. We want films that embrace the truth and beauty of Maori culture, in Te Reo Maori by Maori Directors and Maori Writers. Our people telling our stories to ourselves in our language.
We want to see works that are about native peoples living to their full potential imbued with deep authenticity, and will focus our curatorial process upon international entries by Native Origin Directors and Native Origin Writers.
We want to see Polynesian works from across the Pacific, in the spirit of Whanaungatanga and connectedness between the Children of Hawaiiki. Once again, we want these works to be written by Native Polynesians and directed by Native Polynesians.
Alongside a four day marae-based film festival, we will also host a one-day kai festival, and showcase NZ and Maori food over the weekend. Kiwiland Kai will be served as the best possible complement to Maori film and screen art, our first year of what is planned to become an annual event.
The work for a grand event at Wairoa 2015 has begun. Join us. Ancient Spirits Beckon. Your first step, is here.
Nau Mai! Nau Mai! Haere Mai!
Wairoa Maori Film Festival - May 29 to June 2, 2015.
Call for Entries Now Open: Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2015
CALL FOR ENTRIES 2015 ARE NOW OPEN
Entries to the Wairoa Maori Film Festival are now open as of Monday 20 October 2014, until 5 pm Friday December 19 2014. Entries at present can be made either by (a) physically mailing the completed/signed entry form and screener DVD, Blu-Ray or USB to the festival, or (b) by emailing a scan of the completed and signed entry form along with an online link. Terms and Conditions of Entry are available for review on the form, and on our Terms and Conditions page. Film makers are encourage to read this page to get a sense of the kind of content we are looking for.
FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM 2015 MS Word
FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM 2015 PDF
Future Maori film-makers shine – Aotearoa Maori Film Festival Sydney
Press Release - Aotearoa Maori Film Festival - Sydney, Australia, September 3 2014
This year’s Aotearoa Maori film festival in Sydney showcased a new film workshop for tamariki
(children). Although, only in its infancy the festival has a unique market in the expanding
multi-cultural city of Sydney.
Organiser of the film festival Brent Reihana says, “We’re show-casing our Maori talent in film-making and also growing the potential talent of our tamariki through these creative film workshops.”
About 15 enthusiastic youth participated in the 1-day workshop and learned more about Tikanga Maori and how it weaves in to making films. Participants were also taught skills in how to develop a creative concept, and how to tell a tumeke Maori story plus hands on activities including how to use a digital app. Audience members had the honour of seeing the finished work on screen as part of the film festival.
Mr Reihana says, “Our aim is to build an audience for Maori films in three locations – Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane”. To achieve this ambitious goal Brent and his film festival team need bums on seats. He admits, “Our priority is to sell tickets and make enough money to sustain the festival.”
Hurstville in southern Sydney is a hive of activity and home to one of the largest Westfield shopping centres in the area. Nearby there are historic buildings such as the St George Regional Museum, and the Ritz Hotel.
Behind the scenes many whanau volunteer to make the event successful. Brent says, “It’s heartening to see whanaungatanga alive and well in Oz and everyone working towards a worthwhile project.”
Tema Kwan Fenton, an experienced film-maker inspires the tamariki film-makers of tomorrow by sharing her knowledge. She reckons, “I’m keeping my hand-in and the kids are so confident and inspired which is great to see.” Kaiako Moana Sukkar and Devlin Tikitiki also help to design the programme loaded with techniques to develop the tamariki’s skill base.
The festival mainly screens short films both traditional and contemporary including Te Reo Maori across all genres. In the future Mr Reihana hopes to include documentaries and feature films to offer a broader range of films to his growing audience.
Mr Reihana, a businessman who runs Mantra Solutions a business consulting agency says one of the biggest challenges is that many Maori living in Sydney don’t have their extended whanau around them to support the kaupapa. He says, “It’s starting out small as a tight-knit community but we have opportunities to develop and grow through community partnerships and sponsorship.”
“We have some close ties with the Lebanese community and a top Australian law firm has shown some interest.” Mr Reihana is confident with the support of the Hurstville community and in particular its ethnic communities, the event can develop and thrive in the future.
The 2014 Aotearoa Maori film festival saw the debut of New Zealand’s first 3D Maori animated short film THE RANGIMOEKAUS and also the Cannes film festival Home by Api Ipo and Butterfly directed by Renae Maihi. Butterfly screened previously at imagineNATIVE Canada, exGround Germany, and the NZ International Film Festival.
The festival also passes down knowledge to the next generations of Maori - Ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi - As an old net withers another is remade. When an elder is no longer fit to lead, a healthier leader will stand in his place.
To sponsor or advertise with the Aotearoa Maori Film Festival or to find out more contact Brent Reihana at www.aotearoamaorifilmfestival.com
