MAHANA

Action / Drama / Western
New Zealand, 2016, 103 min

Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Screenplay:  John Collee
Cast: Temuera Morrison, Akuhata Keefe, Nancy Brunning, Jim Moriarty

A Maori saga of rivalry and reconciliation, unkept promises and family secrets, set in the New Zealand countryside in the sixties. The Maori sheep shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, are longtime enemies and business rivals. Fourteen year old Simeon Mahana, tries to escape from his tyrannical Grandfather’s rule, gradually revealling the reason behind their families eternal hatred. Risking not only his own future, but that of his entire family. The film was based on the novel Bulibasha, which was written by leading Maori writer Witi Ihimaera.

Festivals and Awards:
New Zealand Film and TV Awards: Best Editing in a Feature Film (2017)