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Six Māori Battalion soldiers camped in Italian ruins wait for night to fall. In the silence the bros-in-arms distract themselves with jokes. A tohu (sign) brings them back to reality and they gather to say a karakia before returning to the fray. Director Taika Waititi: "they are a bunch of young men [...] who have a special bond, strengthened by their character, their culture and each other." Shot in the rubble of the old Wellington Hospital Tama Tū won international acclaim: honourable mention at Sundance and a special jury prize at Berlin.
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So typical of Maori boys......find humor in any situation, and I imagine that it would've been like that....this is a great short film

HAHA this really cracks ne out of ma boots

I found out about this on Facebook and just had to watch. Very funny, very moving.....what happens next? I very much enjoy your work.
......tuturu whakamaua kia tina!!!!!

It was so touching. Found it so easy to relate to the boys, easily able to see my brothers, sons, uncles and cousins mucking around doing dorky things and acting like eggs. And then to be brought back by the tohu, and the karakia scene was so poignant and taumaha. Truly masterful and evocative
Whenua Films
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Television, 2006 (Full Length)
Māori Television Anzac Day coverage
Short Film, 1989 (Full Length)
Also screened as part of 'best of' Sundance short film retrospective
Short Film, 2003 (Full Length)
A short film about a Vietnam War vet
Television, 2001 (Full Length)
Descendants of soldiers who fought at Gallipoli remember
Television, 1990 (Full Length)
Documentary on Maori soldiers in WWII
Television, 2002 (Excerpts)
featuring Taika as pre-Rhys Darby Flight of the Conchords’ manager Murray
Television, 2007 (Full Length Episode)
Feature on actor Jeremy Randerson
Television, 1973 (Full Length Episode)
An archive doco featuring Māori troops in action during WWII
TJ
Posted at 05.29PM - 26.04.2012
My partner loves this visual. This short film shows that despite travelling to an unknown territory for war they would always remember where they came from. Favourite scene - throws stone at lookout, lookout responds with a silent 'what'.