Actor turned producer/director Julian Arahanga made his screen debut at age 11, in short film The Makutu on Mrs Jones. He shot to fame playing novice gang member Nig Heke in landmark movie Once Were Warriors, then starred in Broken English. Since setting up his own production company Awa Films in 2001, Arahanga has directed and produced TV series Songs from the Inside, comedy Takes a Village and acclaimed documentary Turangaarere: The John Pohe Story.

In this ScreenTalk, Arahanga talks about:

• The privilege of working alongside Annie Whittle, kaumātua Sonny Waru, and Arahanga's father Larry Parr on The Makutu on Mrs Jones
• How everything in movie Once Were Warriors was extreme — and making it was like "riding a bull in a rodeo"
• Training for the role of Nig in the film
• Feeling a self-imposed pressure while starring in big screen romance Broken English
• Being a little disappointed at being killed off in What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?
• Getting some intriguing direction from Ian Mune
• How the 'beautiful' and quirky script for Fish Skin Suit drew him to the project
• Being spellbound by the Māori war hero featured in his 2008 documentary Turangaarere: The John Pohe Story
• The challenge of convincing prison authorities to back music in prison show Songs from the Inside