Wairoa Maori Film Festival Ready to Go

PRESS RELEASE: WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL
READY TO GO!
27 May 2014, Nuhaka, Wairoa, New Zealand

Tenei te mihi, te karanga, te wero ki a koutou katoa!
Nau mai, haere mai ki te Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2014.

A year of curating films, travelling the world for content, and programming the best of Maori and indigenous film making culminates this week with the ninth annual Wairoa Maori Film Festival.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival this year has 14 screenings and over 50 films, including documentaries, shorts and feature drama. Guests in attendance include international film makers from Hawaii, Tahiti, USA and Poland.

Screenings are in Kahungunu Marae, famed for featuring in scenes of John O'Shea's BROKEN BARRIER in 1955. Opening night is a special preview of THE DARKSIDE by Warwick Thornton, presented in association with the New Zealand International Film Festival. Closing night is "Bush Cinema," underground shorts at the Morere School Hall with the hot springs open until late.

Celebrating it's 9th year bringing indigenous cinema from Aotearoa and abroad, the 2014 Wairoa Māori Film Festival in conjunction with our sponsors The NZ Film Commission & WIFT promises to be a new and improved experience for past, returning & new whānau.

The Festival Team has been working tirelessly to curate a program of leading indigenous shorts, features and documentary films from home & beyond and we are pleased to announce the attendance of Hawaiian filmmaker Keo Woolford with his film THE HAUMANA. THE HAUMANA is a story of a gone-to-seed Honolulu lounge singer who rediscovers his lost culture through the magic of men's hula. Watch the trailer, below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTv-oOfycA

Other features screening include THE DARKSIDE by Warwick Thornton (Australia), THE PA BOYS by Himiona Grace, FANTAIL by Curtis Vowell, and WHITE LIES TUAKIRI HUNA by Dana Rotberg based on the novella by Witi Ihimaera.

A collection of new Maori short films play each night of the festival. Three of these films recently screened at Cannes Short Film Corner in France - HOME by Apirana Ipo Te Maipi, AHI KAA by Richard Curtis, and RISING DUST by Jack Woon.

Documentary highlights include KOTIRO MAORI E by Sophronia Smith, the story of the historic Rongomaiwahine waiata by Uncle Tommy Taurima. On Sunday, the festival screens HE TOKI HUNA NZ IN AFGHANISTAN by award winning film makers Kay Ellmers and Annie Goldson. Kay Ellmers will be the recipient of the fourth annual WIFT Mana Wahine Award at the Gala Dinner on Saturday night.

A selection of Maori short films and THE DARKSIDE by Warwick Thornton will go on to screen at the New Zealand International Film Festival later this year. A collection of Canadian native short films is also presented in association with imagineNATIVE Film+Media Arts Festival in Toronto, the largest indigenous film festival in the world held at TIFF Bell Lightbox.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival is a film festival like no other. As well as screenings in a traditional Maori marae, guests come and soak with their hosts in the relaxing Morere Hot Springs. Guests on Saturday night ca enjoy the Gala Awards Dinner performance of the Wairoa College Kapa Haka group. All attendees can check out a refined selection of the best of Māori and indigenous cinema from the comfort of their chair - or pull up a mattress and wrap up for a day or night of movies!

Program information can be found on the new and improved festival website here. (www.kiaora.tv)

Please register your interest with guest services/audience development coordinator Renae Maihi as travel and accommodation can be arranged on a first come first serve basis.

Renae Maihi +64 21 252 9151 manaakiwairoa@gmail.com
Guest Services Manager/ Audience Development

Festival Passes and Gala Awards Dinner Tickets can also be purchased online at:

http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2014/wairoa-maori-film-festival-2014/wairoa

Festival attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and pillows with them to screenings. Meals are for sale throughout the festival $10 per person, as well as coffee/tea breaks.

Nau Mai! Nau Mai! Haere Mai! Ancient Spirits Beckon!

Kua Ara Ake Te Kopunipunitanga O Te Wairua!
WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL 2014
29th - 1st June 2014 Queens Birthday Weekend
Kahungungu Marae, Nuhaka, New Zealand.
Authorised by Te Roopu Whakaata Maori I Te Wairoa - Wairoa Maori Film Festival Society Inc.

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