Special Screening of Umbrella Man to Grace Urban Marae

Special Screening of Umbrella Man to Grace Urban Marae

Screening to occur as part of two-day Homeless Wananga for inner-city Auckland Maori

The Wairoa Māori Film Festival will provide a special screening including guest cast and crew at Tātai Hono marae in Auckland today at 2 pm.

The Umbrella Man is a film that tells the story of a long-tenure homeless man helping a runaway teen who has recently become homeless to find his Māori identity. It is a movie about discovering hope even when all seems lost.

The film was co-directed by first-time feature film director Lenny Hill (Ngāpuhi) and Mark Ruka (Ngāpuhi) both have extensive experience the filming industry.

For the pair the concept of the movie started off with a white board and a white board marker. With just 3 month pre-production, full rehearsals and 30 days to complete 114 scenes gruelling production later – The Umbrella Man was completed.

Leo Koziol director for the Wairoa Māori Film Festival says that this is a very special occasion, for a very special film and one worthy of sharing.

“The Umbrella Man is still yet to be officially released, we had two preview screenings in Wairoa last month, and this special screening is for the homeless people that the film depicts based in the central hub of homelessness – Auckland,” says Leo. "Indeed, a number of the homeless people featured in the film will be in attendance at the homeless wananga itself."

“It’s a unique story of hope, friendship and culture. The key difference with The Umbrella Man is that it’s telling a Māori story, in a Māori film that was shot in a very Māori way, and that is certainly something special.”

In Auckland – 8 out of 10 homeless people are Māori whether because of social issues, alcoholism, drug abuse and or other issues there is no one answer and warrants further research.

The special showing will be held at Tātai Hono Marae in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 2 pm, Khyber Pass, Auckland, on Friday July 3 2015. The screening is occurring as part of a two-day homeless wananga for inner-city Auckland Maori, where there will be meals, haircuts, showers, clothing, care packages, activities, weaving and carving occurring alongside all day on both days.

Cast and crew involved in the film will be present at this very special screening.

Wairoa Maori Film Festival: www.kiaora.tv

Information on the Umbrella Man film: http://www.kiaora.tv/umbrella-man/

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