Māori short films take centre stage at NZIFF

Māori-led and directed short films are being placed under the spotlight for the New Zealand International Film Festival Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika short film selection.

Five Māori and Pasifika shorts formed the full collection of 2021 nominees for Ngā Whanaunga in preparation for audience screenings across Aotearoa and judging by NZIFF curators.

Two films in the short film selection are Fire in the Water, Fire in the Sky written and directed by Māori and Kuki Ārani playwright, director and creative Mīria George (The Vultures, What Remains, The Night Mechanics) and Disrupt directed by renowned New Zealand actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand Te Atamira (Desperate Remedies, Full Frontal, Vermillion).

The other films are Disconnected directed by Maruia Jensen, Sista directed by Chantelle Burgoyne and True Love directed by Ray Edwards.

The curators who selected this year's nominees include Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka) and Craig Fasi (Niue).

'Disrupt' for a debut

Disrupt is Ward-Lealand's directorial debut after being an influential figure in the film, screen and theatre industry for more than 40 years.

It tells the story of a young man battling a wrenching addiction to methamphetamine as he tries to navigate trials and tribulations in life while his whānau attempt to surround him.

Written by journalist and playwright Aroha Awarau and produced by broadcaster Peata Melbourne, the narrative of the film is woven together with Te Ao Māori themes relating to whakapapa (genealogy), whanaungatanga (family connection) and mana (status and empowerment).

The creators said the film doesn't just relate to one community or group of people, but is a story that represents an experience all of Aotearoa is battling with and can relate to.

Ward-Lealand said the inspiration to create the film came from Awerau's script and the personal experiences he had poured into the story about the impact of the methamphetamine epidemic.

She said he had encouraged her to direct the script as her directorial debut and was determined to depict the scathing impacts addiction has on the wellbeing and stability of family relationships.

"It's not just a Māori story because so many bonds get broken in this tragic thing that is the P epidemic."

"It's one of the worst things that has ever hit Aotearoa and it affects so many people in so many towns, it doesn't matter who you are, what background you come from, how wealthy you are or not - it's there and it's really pulling families apart."

"After I started work on the film, I had been going around speaking at various community groups and I thought, man, there's hardly anyone you can speak to who hasn't had some experience," she said.

Behind the camera during the making of the film, Ward-Lealand said the tikanga of tuakana-teina mentorship and support during the filming process was very much present as there were a diversity of cast and crew members who contributed to the final project.

Ward-Lealand said she was grateful for the more experienced members of the crew who were prepared to pass on knowledge to new crew members and collaborate with them.

"The tuakana-teina approach was a deliberate choice of a way to work for Peata, Aroha (producer) and myself because you don't move through or even get into this business without some help and the people who are prepared to teach you are the ones you'll never forget."

"It's not nothing to take on that mantle and responsibility," she said.

'Fire in the Water, Fire in the Sky'

Mīria George debuts her second film project following her directorial role in the female-led feature Vai.

Her newest work pays homage to her Pacific Island roots, following the narrative of two sisters grappling with their own realities while the ever-changing modern world around them continues to influence their lives, sense of belonging and cultural connection.

The script originally written for the stage was first developed in 2017 and debuted at the indigenous arts festival, Kia Mau.

While creatively exploring the genres of movement and dance, the performances were shared as a live art installation at art galleries.

Like many of her works prior, with Fire in the Water, Fire in the Sky George passionately offers another cautionary tale where imperialism, colonisation, Christianity and especially, climate change are at the centre.

George said she understands and recognises the adversity island nations are facing due to the pandemic but also because of the impacts of climate change.

She said she wanted Fire in the Water, Fire in the Sky to intercept with those from the Māori and Pasifika community.

"A story of migration, that's what Fire in the Water, Fire in the Sky is about, it's a story of migration and a migration that is brought on by climate change."

"The health and wellbeing of our moana, of our choral life, of our marine life, I often think of it as a war."

"That is a huge reality for not only Ngāi iwi Māori but also for tangata Kuki Ārani as well for our Pasifika nations," she said.

Having entered the arts industry as a poet and then transitioning to theatre and film, George has always placed indigenous cultural narratives at the heart of her work.

George intimately focuses on women of the islands, her homeland as a platform to share the voices and experiences of the Polynesian community.

She said together communities can have an ongoing shared vision to keep reimagining who they are and where they want to go through art.

"Art is an inherent part of us, it's not a separate part of our being, it's inherently part of every action and every facet of our lives and so I think it comes very naturally to us."

"For me, art has been an experience that has always enabled me to collaborate with my family."

"I think for me it is personal, most of the work I create is personal because it's something that I have a really intense response to," she said.

Screenings of the Ngā Whanaunga short films will be available in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Masterton, Welllington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.