A glimpse of emerging talent | Otago Daily Times Online News

Whānau Marama International Film Festival’s Nga Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Collection showcases the best of filmmaking that tangata whenua and tagata Pasifika have to offer. This year’s collection of 89 minutes includes his eight unique pieces selected by Wairoa Film Festival director Leo Koziol (Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Rakaipaaka) and Pollywood Film Festival director Craig Fasi (Niue). Contains short films. As we approach our 20th anniversary, this collection offers a glimpse into Aotearoa’s up-and-coming filmmaking talent.

Truna Le Lagi

Patti Tyrrells (Samoan) Turuna Le Lagi Abstract, rich and sad. Beneath the images of Samoan natural landscapes and serene bodies lies the beat of a drum, flickering in Technicolor. The clever combination of elements creates a meditative experience. Tyrell gently guides the viewer and allows their mind to wander. The viewer is given space to consider the sacred and the slowly shifting plates of life.

Cocaco

KoukakouThe film, directed by Douglas Brooks (Te Ati Haunui a Paparangi, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Pākehā), follows Ashley as she attempts to find and photograph an extinct kōkā stork. When she receives news that her grandmother has died and her family is further torn apart, a playful, hallucinatory interaction occurs between her and the birds of the forest. Koukakou This exploration of the cyclical nature of life and the specter of memory is unexpectedly funny.

Wakaako Kia Wakaora/Education for Liberation

Whakaako Kia Whakaora/Educate to LiberateDirected by Robert George (Kuki Airani, Gertie Care, Gertie Tuala), this documentary follows the creation of a mural on the corner of Karangahape Road and Gundry Street in Auckland. Gradually revealed over the course of the film, this piece of art serves to remind the residents of this increasingly gentrified area of ​​the area’s predecessor, the Polynesian Panther. At the center of the vibrant artwork is a mother and baby, a sign of generational survival and rebirth. George’s films capture the struggle for equality and the joy of resistance, making them an uplifting experience.

last sunday

Sene, who lives in South Auckland, sees his life unraveling in Saito Lilo (a Samoan man) after committing a crime. last sunday. Unitech Te Pukenga Screen Arts’ graduate work is an empathetic look at the hot topic of youth crime in Aotearoa. Although interspersed with fleeting moments of joy, the film is set in an impoverished community struggling to make ends meet. As pressure mounts to help his family financially, Sene finds himself wrestling with issues of money, status, and religion. Lilo offers an aesthetically pleasing and well-paced story while guiding viewers through the forces that lead young people to crime.

just go home

Kieran Walkers (Rangitane O Wairua, Gertie Kuia, Gertie Apa Ki Tu Ra To) take Mia home It affects both the heartstrings and heart rate of the audience. While driving home from a local pub, Billy meets a young girl and offers to give her a ride home. As the situation escalates from creepy to terrifying, Billy is forced to reflect on his actions. Isis Bradley-Kiwi, who plays Mare, captures the audience’s attention with her creepy performance. Set in a rural town, the film feels distinctly New Zealand, and the issues it raises are all too familiar.

He Ponam Ko Au

Tia Barrett (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe, Te Rapuwai, Waitaha, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tamainupo) he pounamu ko au It is a meditation on creation and belonging in Ponam. This film is hung over a waiata reciting the pounamu’s whakapapa. Barrett’s ancestral connections to Te Wai Ponam shine through in this carefully considered retelling. Her claim is “He Pounamu KoĀu”, or “I am He Pounamu”. Like Pounamu, she emerged from the earth created by water, which is part of nature.

I am paradise.

Hione Henare (Ngai Tara, Muaupoko, Gerti Wea) creates light from darkness. i am paradise. The story is of Paradise, a pregnant single mother who lives with no support other than unconditional love for her two children. She struggles to keep her head above water, but the deep-rooted whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga and aloha of her remaining family members keep her afloat. The story is distinctly Māori, from the pukana to the evicting policeman to the story of Rangi and Papa’s separation that forms the backdrop for the film.Ricki Lee Russell Wipuku is known for his work with Taika Waititi. boy As a Chardonnay, it offers an enchanting performance as a paradise. She balances both the fierce and gentle sides of Paradise’s nature, bringing to life the complex character of the lioness.

Mako, directed by Mark Papalii (Samoa), was not available for review.

Screening

Nga Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Short Films 2023 will be screened at Dunedin’s Rialto Cinema at 2.30pm today and 1.45pm on Wednesday as part of the Whānau Marama International Film Festival.