Wairoa Maori Film Festival 18th To 21st June 2009

Press Release:

Wairoa Maori Film Festival 18th To 21st June 2009

The New Date Has Been Set For The Fourth Annual Wairoa Maori Film Festival! Marking the dawn of the special time that is Matariki, this year's festival will run for four days Thursday 18th June to Sunday 21st June 2009. This year's festival theme is Peace: "Kia Tau Te Rangimarie - Peace In Our Time."

The festival kicks off with a special opening evening of archival films relating to the local Nuhaka and Mahia area. This screening will occur at Kahungunu Marae, Nuhaka, 7 p.m. Thursday June 18th. Festival Director Leo Koziol is from Nuhaka, where he is a board member of the local Rakaipaaka iwi. Mr. Koziol has been researching archival films from Nuhaka, including footage of the opening of Kahungunu Marae in 1949. A unique evening of Nuhaka archival films will therefore open the festival, with a special bonus film premiere featuring local celebrity dolphin "Moko."

On the Friday, the festival moves to Wairoa with a lunchtime Powhiri at Taihoa Marae and an opening night gala at the Gaiety Cinema. Four new Maori short films will be screened, followed by a Maori Batallion -themed live play from Taki Rua Theatre. "We are working with Taki Rua Theatre to bring the play 'Strange Resting Places' to Wairoa for one special evening," says Festival Chairperson Huia Koziol. Details on the live play will be confirmed soon.

Taihoa Marae will be the focus of activities on Saturday, with a Marae Community Day comprising film screenings, live music performance, an Audio-Visual installation space, arts stalls, kai stalls and a bouncy castle for the kids. The day concludes with the centrepiece of the festival comprising the Wairoa Maori Film Festival Awards night at the War Memorial Hall. "The War Memorial Hall is an appropriate location for our 'Peace' themed festival, in remembrance of those who served so we could live our lives in peace today," says Mrs. Koziol. A night of performance of local Wairoa talent is planned, including hit of last year's festival Billy T.K. Sr.

The festival concludes with one further day of film screenings at Taihoa Marae, and two special feature presentations at the Gaiety Cinema. Closing night screening will be "Rain of the Children", Vincent Ward's stunning documentary filmed in the hinterlands of Wairoa at Ruatahuna and Maungapohatu. "The incredible true story of Puhi and her life history living and marrying into Rua's Maungapohatu community will be a highlight of this year's festival," says Festival Director Leo Koziol.

Since 2005, Wairoa has been host to three Maori and indigenous film festivals. Guests to the festival have traveled from across Aotearoa and from as far afield as Mexico, USA, Hawaii, Canada and Australia. Confirmed sponsors of this year's festival are Creative NZ Te Waka Toi and the New Zealand Film Commission.

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