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It's been a long held dream - something like 20 years - for novellist Patricia Grace to see her novel Cousins on the big screen. But that dream is about to be realised.
Cousins takes place over sixty years, the story of three Māori cousins who lead very different lives. They may share a bloodline but they've been kept apart by circumstances beyond their control.
The final screenplay for Cousins was by Briar Grace-Smith who's Patricia's daughter-in-law. Briar has also co-directed the film, along with Ainsley Gardiner and takes on the role of the adult Makareta.
Rachel House plays the older Missy and Tanea Heke the estranged cousin Mata who was sent to an institution as a child by her Pakeha father.
Filmmaker Merata Meta was the first to write a screen play for Cousins and Ainsley and Briar picked up the mantle:
I asked Briar how the novel was made to work on screen:
Cousins is in cinemas from the 4th of March.