Mauri

With Mauri, Merata Mita became the first Māori woman to direct a dramatic feature alone. Set around a love triangle, Mauri (meaning life force) explores cultural tensions, identity, and changing ways of life in a East Coast town. Along with Ngāti the previous year, Mauri played a key role in the rise of Māori cinema. The crew of 33 Māori and 20 Pākehā included interns from Hawkes Bay wānanga — plus composer Hirini Melbourne, artist Ralph Hotere as production designer, and actors Eva Rickard and Zac Wallace (star of Utu).