Native film makers from around the world were embracing Down Under film making at imagineNATIVE Toronto last week. The spotlight country this year was Australia, and alongside this programme the opening night was WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS by Taika Waititi.

The festival celebrated its 15th birthday party in a huge Harry Potter-esque hall with A Tribe Called Red DJ Bear Witness spinning to an excited crowd.

Earlier in the evening, the awards had been presented including a very special award to Cannes-winner Warwick Thornton. Warwick received the Milestone Award, only the third recipient of this award in the festival's 15 years.

Click here for a full line up of the award winners.

Many of the Maori film makers from Toronto then went on to the Hawaiian Media Makers conference in Honolulu. This first ever event culminated in the commencement of the creation of a "Brown Book" of protocols for indigenous film making in Hawaii, which is increasingly a scene for both native and mainstream film production.

The Media Makers conference also opened up the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) a glamorous festival focused on Asia-Pacific films, with a special European programme presented as a "Festival Within A Festival."

Of course, the film industry in Hawaii is working diligently to support and celebrate the creation of its own native stories. Last year's HIFF hits included KUMU HINA and THE HAUMANA, both of which played at Wairoa Maori Film Festival last year with film makers winging their way across the Pacific.

This year, Sundance Native Lab alums Christopher Kahunahuna and Ty Sang are presenting finished works, both with a Hawaiian-heart focus.

Christopher Kahunahuna's Lahaina Noon is an experimental art film with three short stories intertwined as the "high noon" Lahaina event occurs in Hawaii - when the sun is at it's apex and people walk without shadows.

Ty Sanga's closing night film is a feature doc, VISIONS IN THE DARK THE LIFE OF PINKY THOMPSON leading native politician who in his year's in Federal Government raised the level of awareness of indigenous rights and drove resources to programmes such as Hawaiian language programmes. Watch the Trailer.

Check out the trailer below. More updates soon from Hawaii!

TORONTO can be overwhelming for the newbie, but fortunately this is my second time here so I think I've got it a bit better sussed - but Jason Ryle and the native dreamers at imagineNATIVE film festival make sure there's something on at four or five different places from dawn to dusk at their amazing native film gathering in North America's creative city of fantasy and vision.

So far I've managed to catch the Australian shorts programme curated by Rachel Perkins, with seminal works by and Tracey Moffatt, Beck Cole and Ivan Sen. Landscape dreaming in the vast wonder of Australia, where spirits roam and life is not quite real. Ivan will be visiting Kiwi shores in a couple of weeks for the upcoming Nga Aho Whakaari annual conference.

The festival programmers here have a feast of short films on offer. I'm really looking forward to today's Canada New Wave selection, and then the midnight "Witching Hour" shorts including our very own Allan George's FUSION from 48 Hour Film Fest (watch it below!).

Actually there's an awful lot of films that you can watch online that is screening at this festival, that is now truly global and transmedia. I will be posting a film a day to whet your appetite - some of these gems may be coming your way to a film festival near you!

- Leo Koziol reporting from TIFF HQ, Toronto

Hiona Henare had a dream to celebrate the history and present of Native Film 4th Cinema - Maori film. Wairoa Maori Film Festival has a dream to change the world through the power of Maori cinema. These dreams have come together with an exciting new documentary called NATIVE IN NUHAKA.

The film has already achieved its BOOSTED crowd funding target, and Hiona won the Doc Pitch at Documentary Edge Doc Lab last month.

Now Leo Koziol is in Toronto reaping the film and newly established EP Nuhaka Film, looking for producers and partners who might want to jump on board to this exciting new project.

So take a look at the new website and get in touch with us if this loos like a project you might want to be a part of!

Hiona Henare brown.bitty@gmail.com
Louisa Opetaia louisatei@gmail.com
Leo Koziol maorimovies@gmail.com

This website is evolving as the MAORI FILM LETTER spins off from the Wairoa Maori Film Festival to become its own independent blog news outlet, reporting from Toronto RIGHT NOW and from Honolulu next week. So don't forget, all our festival details are over at www.kiaora.tv, and we've also got a partner site in the form of the Native in Nuhaka project. Enjoy whanau!

WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL 2015
THEME: NATIVE NOW!
KIA ORA KOUTOU KATOA!

THE OFFICIAL THEME OF WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL 2015 IS NATIVE NOW!

This is our landmark 10th year, and we are planning a future-focused event showcasing the best, the newest and the most innovative works of Maori, Polynesian and world indigenous screen art. 

Our Call For Entries is now open. We are interested in works that are breaking the mould and shaping a new place within the 4th cinema and native screen realms. We want to see entries that have a transmedia showcase alongside a state-of-the-art screen work: be it short film, documentary, feature, documentary, experimental or media art. We want films that embrace the truth and beauty of Maori culture, in Te Reo Maori by Maori Directors and Maori Writers. Our people telling our stories to ourselves in our language.

We want to see works that are about native peoples living to their full potential imbued with deep authenticity, and will focus our curatorial process upon international entries by Native Origin Directors and Native Origin Writers.

We want to see Polynesian works from across the Pacific, in the spirit of Whanaungatanga and connectedness between the Children of Hawaiiki. Once again, we want these works to be written by Native Polynesians and directed by Native Polynesians.

Alongside a four day marae-based film festival, we will also host a one-day kai festival, and showcase NZ and Maori food over the weekend. Kiwiland Kai will be served as the best possible complement to Maori film and screen art, our first year of what is planned to become an annual event.

The work for a grand event at Wairoa 2015 has begun. Join us. Ancient Spirits Beckon. Your first step, is here.

Nau Mai! Nau Mai! Haere Mai!
Wairoa Maori Film Festival - May 29 to June 2, 2015.

Wairoa Takes Flight!
 
PRESS RELEASE 23 OCTOBER 2014: On November 1, Wairoa Maori Film Festival will take flight across the world with a selection of nine Maori-made and Maori-themed short films screening inflight on Air New Zealand. "Kia Ora Shorts is a new venture for the Wairoa Maori Film Festival and newly established Nuhaka Films," says Leo Koziol, Festival Director. "Discerning international travelers will be able to sample Maori culture in new contemporary short films, many of which screened at NZIFF Nga Whanaunga co-curated with Pollywood."

The selection of films screening inflight are:

• BUTTERFLY Director Renae Maihi
• HOME Director Apirana Ipo Te Maipi
• TOHUNGA Director Rebecca Collins
• AHI KA Director Richard Curtis
• IN THE RUBBISH TIN Director Riwia Brown
• MAUMAHARA Director Tamati Ihaka
• FOOTSTEPS Director Lennie Hill
• DOG ON DUTY Director Lennie Hill
• RISING DUST Director Jack Woon
  

"These films profile the cultural issues of Aotearoa as well as presenting the stunning beauty of places such as the Hokianga and Rotorua," says Mr. Koziol.

Along with 8 Maori-themed films, Lennie Hill's FOOTSTEPS is a Maori / Pasifika film, director of Maori descent filmed in the stunning beauty of the Cook Islands.

NZIFF Nga Whanaunga is presented annually at the New Zealand International Film Festival. In 2014, the programme was curated by Wairoa Maori Film Festival Director Leo Koziol with guest curator Craig Fasi of the Pollywood Film Festival.

These films all go inflight on Air New Zealand long haul flights on November 1 2014.

Entries to the Wairoa Maori Film Festival are now open as of Monday 20 October 2014, until 5 pm Friday December 19 2014. Entries at present can be made either by (a) physically mailing the completed/signed entry form and screener DVD, Blu-Ray or USB to the festival, or (b) by emailing a scan  of the completed and signed entry form along with an online link. Terms and Conditions of Entry are available for review on the form, and on our Terms and Conditions page. Film makers are encourage to read this page to get a sense of the kind of content we are looking for.

FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM 2015 MS WORD

FESTIVAL ENTRY FORM 2015 PDF

Big shake up at TVNZ, television veteran Julian Wilcox departs MTS.

DEAD LANDS premieres in Auckland. After WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS and DARK HORSE, have we got another Kiwi box office hit?

NGA AHO WHAKAARI CONFERENCE coming up.

Will Taika Waititi-penned Disney film MOANA have the chops and be the Polynesian Frozen?

More news soon, including our DAY ONE blog from imagineNATIVE Canada, where Taika Waititi's WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS just opened to a sell-out crowd!

For now enjoy this, and if you live in Kiwiland - go out and buy your tickets!!!! #watchfilmslegallywhanau

The world's biggest indigenous film festival lifts off in Toronto next week, the imagineNATIVE Film+Media Art Festival. This year the focus is on Australia, with programmes curated by Rachel Perkins, Pauline Clague and Jenny Fraser.

New Zealand film works by Maori writers / directors / producers include features THE PA BOY and WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS and a selection of short films including AHI KA (Richard Curtis) and HOME (Chris Molloy).

Wairoa Maori Film Festival will be in attendance at the imagineNATIVE festival and will be live blogging the event.

Look out for our updates!

HAWAII was the native nation of profile at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival this year, with documentary KUMU HINA and feature film THE HAUMANA by Keo Woolford.

Keo Woolford was special guest of our festival this year, and in two weeks he is part of a stunning programme at the first ever annual Hawaiian Media Makers conference.

What looks like a gathering of Hawaiian and Maori film and television makers looks to bear fruit across the Pacific. Maori are leading the way in film and television that is both true to our culture and commercially successful. Hawaii are leading the way in connecting with the film industry in Hollywood and bringing strong commercial productions to their state.

Maori speakers at the event include Bailey Mackey, Chelsea Winstanley, Karin Williams, Taika Waititi, Tui Ruwhiu, Briar Grace-Smith and Tui Ruwhiu.

At the same time Maori films are screening at HIFF: Honoulu International Film Festival. THE PA BOYS, HOUSEBOUND, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS and UTU are the New Zealand features screening at this prestigious festival. Shorts include PUMANAWA THE GIFT and THE KEEPER, both produced by Tui Ruwhiu.

Wairoa Maori Film Festival will be in attendance at both the Hawaii Media Makers conference and HIFF, and will be live blogging the events.

Look out for our updates!

New Zealand audiences will be the first in the world to see new Maori adventure epic Dead Lands when it premieres nationwide in two weeks!

Maori history is brought alive in this period-set action-adventure based on the traditional fighting art of Mau rākau. After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, the chieftan's teenage son Hongi (James Rolleston, Boy) must avenge his father's death in order to bring honor to the souls of his loved ones. Outnumbered by the band of villains, Hongi's only hope is to pass through the forbidden Dead Lands and forge an alliance with the mysterious "Warrior" (Lawrence Makoare, Die Another Day). From the director of No. 2 and Dean Spanley, co-stars  Rena Owen (Once Were Warriors) and former NRL player Wairangi Koopu.

Rave reviews from around the world:

For those willing to take the journey, The Dead Lands proves to be a memorable, rewarding experience." - Twitch

"Impressive scenery and action elevate a tale of pre-colonial Maori warfare" - Variety

Out in Cinemas October 30.