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Actor Wi Kuki Kaa (1938 - 2006) plays Tiare, a Vietnam War veteran who is dislocated by his war experience and homeless. He wanders city streets collecting ephemera in plastic bags. Nancy Brunning plays his daughter, who, with her own daughter, visits their reluctant Koro (old man) to convince him to visit his ancestral home. A moving story about a man jolted to find his turangawaewae (place to stand), and the whanau that helps him get there. The film was directed by Peter Burger and selected for Critics' Week at Cannes (2003).
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My father served in vietnam and I also seen some of the behaviours in dad that were portrayed through Wi Kuki Kaa. For what we thought then were erratic behaviour, I now realise just what those soldiers went through. loved the short film, thanks for making it and sharing it.
Kia Ora, as a contemporary Maori artist, film artist and teacher, i found this film intriguingly moving, powerful, and a reminder to all Maori that we have our place of standing. this film is highly ideal for the students i teach contemporary maori art and film and media production at my local secondary school. this film will be one of the main peices my students will be developing their own ideas from, when creating works of art about turangawaewae and what that means to them personally and culturally etc. would love to get a copy of this film and other maori films on this site for student learning. Kia Ora
kia ora and talofa, I found this short film very moving. It made me reflect on the hardships of war and the impact it had on those who fought in it. We watched this in our Art History class as well and most were in tears and there was just complete silence at the end. Very powerful and intense, laden with fundamental ideas of 'identity', loss of it and more importantly how to find it...the place of your ancestors. Thankyou for the reminder.
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Television, 2001 (Full Length)
Descendants of soldiers who fought at Gallipoli remember
Television, 2002 (Full Length)
A David Blyth doco on his Grandfather who fought in WWII
Television, 1990 (Full Length)
Documentary on Maori soldiers in WWII
Television, 1987 (Full Length)
Kaa is featured in this Koha documentary on the Māori film industry
Short Film, 2009 (Full Length)
Another Fitzgerald film exploring sacred land
Short Film, 1984 (Full Length)
Another short dealing with Māori understanding of death
See all collections ›
Included in:
2003 Cannes Film Festival
Selected for Critics' Week section
2003 NZ Screen Awards
Nominated for Best Screenplay for a Short Film: Wiremu Grace
Finalist - Most
Outstanding Website
The ONYAs 2010 & 2011
Best Entertainment Website
Finalist – Website design
Qantas Media Awards 2009
NZ ON SCREEN 2012
This website has been made with funding from NZ ON AIR ›
Jenny
Posted at 01.49PM - 01.01.2012
Powerful, potent, poignant, sad, insightful, beautiful, horrific, honest. I found the most heart wrenching moment was when he entered the gate onto the Marae - what that symbolised! Nga mihi kia koutou katoa - all those involved in the creation of this film. Thank you.