Māori Excellence Celebrated at RIFF

The Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival (RIFF) ran last week, with multiple DEGANZ members’ work screening. The intense, three-day festival is a hub of Indigenous films, networking, and industry workshops. Created and run by Māori filmmakers, the festival is based around the values of manaakitanga and kotakitanga.

Ngā Aho Whakaari’s Aho Shorts 2024 Collection premiered during the festival, including DEGANZ member Richard Curtis‘ short Rapido. Also during the festival, Vea Mafile’o (DEGANZ) spoke on a panel presented by PISA called “You Only Get One Chance,” discussing navigating the screen industry as a Pacific Islands filmmaker in Aotearoa.

RIFF Pitch-Slap

Pitch-Slap is RIFF’s funding opportunity for Māori filmmakers. DEGANZ member Denise Edmonds won last year with her project Mōrearea, which was featured in this year’s screening event.

Mōrearea

Director: Denise Edmonds

A woman is haunted by a mysterious, otherworldly presence that uses earthquakes to communicate. As she’s drawn to a geothermal space, she must confront the spirit and uncover a deeper connection through the waters of another realm.

Indigenous Short Film Selection

Lea Tupu’anga / Mother Tongue

Director: Vea Mafile’o

Katherine, a young speech therapist of Tongan and European heritage has lied about her Tongan language skills to work with Siaosi – an elderly Tongan patient with aphasia who has lost his ability to speak English.

Ngā Aho Whakaari Short Films

Rapido

Director: Richard Curtis

A Young Māori boy’s fascination with war comics hits closer to home than he ever imagined.

Last updated on 21 November 2024