Photo / Supplied. Video: YouTube / RialtoDistribution.
Embracing Māori stories in te reo Maori are becoming more and more prominent in the film industry. Muru - a response to the Tūhoe Raids is one of these new action-drama films by producers Reikura and Te Arepa Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion).
Aotearoa and the world now have their first glimpse into the film, having the trailer just released yesterday.
On October 15, 2007, with new anti-terrorism powers, the New Zealand Police swooped on the people of Tūhoe, raiding homes in the small town of Rūātoki in the Bay of Plenty. Among the many arrested under suspicion of domestic terrorism was activist Tame Iti, who stars in the film as himself.
The film acts as a response to the events and is an insight into the traumatic impact of the police’s actions on their communities.
Photo / Supplied
Joining Tame Iti in the film's cast are Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse, Fear The Walking Dead, Avatar 2) Jay Ryan (IT Chapter Two, The Furnace), Manu Bennett (The Hobbit Trilogy) and Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi).
The over two-minute-long trailer shows plenty to viewers, including the police breaking into whānau homes, chase sequences, and more.
Muru is also the first feature film to be funded under Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga - New Zealand Film Commission's He Pounamu Te Reo Māori Feature Film Fund. It will also open the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, with a special screening in Whakatāne.
The world premiere will be held on Thursday, July 28 at the Civic Theatre in Auckland, then will be released nationwide on September 1 later this year, when Māhuru Māori begins.