Maori Film Festival Programme Now Online

Maori Film Festival Programme Now Online

THE PROGRAMME of the inaugural Wairoa Maori Film Festival is now available online for public viewing.

"Our festival programme will be out and about around the Motu by the end of this week, so we are providing film festival fans with the opportunity to preview the programme online," said Leo Koziol, Wairoa Maori Film Festival Director.

"There are three main themes to our festival," said Mr. Koziol.

"The first is Te Ao Mai Nga Whatu Maori, or 'The World Through A Maori Lens', which comprises a broad showcase of Maori dramatic feature and short film works," said Mr. Koziol. "This ranges from festival opener 'Broken Barrier', shot locally at Mahia in the 1950s, to more recent features 'Whale Rider', 'Spooked' (starring Cliff Curtis), and 'Jubilee', which closes the festival."

There will be a strong retrospective component to the festival, including "Rewi's Last Stand" (1940) and "To Love A Maori" (1972), playing as a double feature in an award presentation night for Maori film-maker Ramai Hayward, who will be receiving the festival's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award.

"The second theme is International Indigenous Selection," said Mr. Koziol. "This includes three showcases of works from North America and around the world, specially presented in partnership with the National Geographic All Roads Film Project." Bird Runningwater of the Sundance Institute will also be attending, presenting a showcase of indigenous North American and Pacific works.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian has also provided us with the opportunity to present a free showcase screening of the official film of their museum, entitled "A Thousand Roads."

"The third theme is Documentary Showcase, and comprises the largest number of individual screenings at our festival," said Mr. Koziol. "The festival includes premieres of documentaries by Robert Pouwhare, including 'Tuhoe' and 'Te Toa Aniwaniwa', a documentary about Oscar Temaru's recent rise to presidency in Tahiti."

Alongside these three main showcases will be a series of free screenings targeted at Rangatahi, the young people attending the festival. "We are also planning for the screenings of 'Whale Rider' and 'Mark II' to be free screenings for the people of Wairoa."

"The big night of the festival will be the Awards Dinner Cabaret, on Saturday," said Mr. Koziol. This will include presentation of the seven festival prizes, and Cabaret entertainment provided by Mika. "We are particularly excited by the number and quality of entries to our festival," said Mr Koziol.

The Festival Programme of the Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2005 can be found online at:

http://www.manawairoa.com/

Pre-bookings can be made via the festival office, Marine Parade, Wairoa Ph. 06-838-7717.

Tickets should also be available for purchase from Ticketek later this week.

The festival celebrations kick off on Thursday June 2nd, 12.00 p.m., with a Powhiri at Wairoa's historic Takitimu Marae.

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