Hongi, a Maori chieftain’s teenage son, must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honour to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains led by Wirepa, Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden “Dead Lands” and forge an uneasy alliance with a mysterious warrior, a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.
Inspired by actual events, MURU is the story of a local Police Sergeant ‘Taffy’ Tāwharau, who must choose between duty to his badge or his people, when the Government invoke antiterrorism powers to launch an armed raid on Taffy’s remote Urewera community, on a school day. This gripping action drama is not a re-creation, but a response to the 2007 Tūhoe raids. MURU is a Māori concept for 'forgiveness’.
Two young teenagers are forced to take control of their own destiny amid the chaos of a pivotal battle in New Zealand’s first land wars in 1864.
Six Māori Battalion soldiers camped in Italian ruins wait for night to fall. In the silence, the bros-in-arms distract themselves with jokes. A tohu (sign) brings them back to reality, and they gather to say a karakia before returning to the fray. Director Taika Waititi describes the soldiers as young men with "a special bond, strengthened by their character, their culture and each other.
In a sweeping tale that spans 1000 years and multiple generations – from the distant past to the 19th century, the present day and a strange, dystopian future – this landmark collection traces the collective histories of Indigenous peoples across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Diverse in perspective, content and form, traversing the terrain of grief, love and dispossession, they each bear witness to these cultures’ ongoing struggles against patriarchy, colonialism and racism.
A young girl finds comfort in play and slowly reconnects with her distant father after her mother walks out on the family.
A modern day take on the classic bard tale - with Silver as a movie producer.
After a successful raid and having captured a rival village's leader, a war party must drag their huge canoe or "Taua" through the forest to reach the sea and escape with their trophy but even in a forest of their native land water can be scarce. As the warriors, driven by their insistent chief, press towards home, two boys are tasked to protect the precious water and keep an eye on the prisoner, but need and desperation grows for all as the story drives to a climax.
The spirit of a person killed in a motorway accident runs through forest and beaches on its journey to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Rēinga). En route it meets tourist buses and other spirits, before reaching the gnarly pohutukawa and making the leap towards Hawaiki-Nui.
A young Māori girl in the care of a conservative English couple savours her mother's weekly visitations, as a custody battle driven by racial bias will ultimately decide their fate.
On the day she gets her first menses, Hinekura is initiated into adulthood with ceremony and blessings. She's taken to a wananga where her role within the tribe is revealed to her.
Inspired by an ancient Māori story in which nature intermingles with a child’s love, Washday depicts – with tremendous sensitivity and compassion – a grieving father and daughter coming to terms with a significant death in 1960s New Zealand.
In pre-colonial Aotearoa a young Māori girl witnesses the best and worst of a rapidly changing world when she encounters a dying man and his horse.
Sisters Tia and Ina are far from home. Tia is focused on her work, while the free-spirited Ina just wants to dance.
Whetū Mārama is the story of Sir Hekenukumai Ngaiwi Puhipi and his significance for Māori in rekindling their wayfinding DNA, reclaiming our place as traditional star voyages on the world map.
In 1979, a group of young Māori and Pasifika activists sought to stop Pākehā students at the University of Auckland performing a parody of haka each capping week. Unfortunately, the consequences for those activists were severe – many were convicted of crimes. Director Katie Wolfe uncovers this largely forgotten event in New Zealand's history with interviews from both in this resonant and thought-provoking documentary.
A young Māori girl gets her period for the first time and has to decide between getting pads for herself or a gift for her younger brother's birthday.
In this poetic short film, writer/director/songwriter Kararaina Rangihau tells a story of great significance to the Tūhoe people. Unfolding entirely in te reo Māori, the narrative follows a child (played by Te Ratauhina Tumarae) learning the origins to the waiata 'Taku Rākau E', from her great-grandmother (Menu Ripia). Flicking between the present day and 1873, the great-grandmother tells how Mihikitekapua, a blind women of Tūhoe (also played by Ripia), first sang this important waiata. Rangihau was mentored by prominent filmmaker Merata Mita, who produced the film with co-producer Chelsea Winstanley.
An Inuit child wanders away from his village, fascinated by a wild bird. His father follow his trail, determined to find him before he gets lost on the ice floe...
Roimata, a young Maori woman from the East Coast, travels to the city to meet her half-sister Girlie. Introduced to gang members, the scene is set for a major confrontation when Kevin, a young Salvation Army Officer, arrives. Part of the E Tipu Te Rea series.
Jackson's Wharf was a New Zealand television series created by Gavin Strawhan and Rachel Lang. Set in a fictional coastal town, the series told the story of a sibling rivalry between brothers Frank, the town cop, and Ben Jackson, a big-town lawyer. After inheriting the local pub from his recently deceased father, Ben returns to the small town with his family, with his arrival bringing its fair sheer of drama and conflict to the small township.
The lives and loves of the residents of Ferndale.
7 Days is a New Zealand comedy gameshow similar in some ways to the British program Mock the Week, hosted by Jeremy Corbett and created by The Down Low Concept. Paul Ego and Dai Henwood usually appear on each episode, along with other comedians, who form teams and answer questions about news stories from the last week.
The four Johnson brothers have inherited the powers of the Norse gods. Because the gods lived eons ago, however, time has diluted the powers. The unique ability that each brother possesses isn't very strong, and they still have the same desires and faults that mortals do. Their lives include sibling rivalry, trying to get girls, and hanging out; but they also want to be stronger, and so they embark on a quest to fulfill an ancient prophecy in hope of gaining the full strength of their abilities.
Drag queen contestants compete in an elimination-style contest and strut their stuff in a variety of challenges - all to prove that they’ve got what it takes to be Down Under's next Drag Queen Superstar!
In a seemingly quiet country town the newest resident, Detective Inspector Mike Shepherd, finds that murder lurks in even the most homely location.
New Zealand's capital is a hotbed of supernatural activity... so Officers Minogue and O'Leary, who featured in the vampire documentary What We Do In The Shadows, take to the streets to investigate all manner of paranormal phenomena.
Eleven-year-old Kevin's passion for history is put to the test when he joins a ragtag group of time-traveling thieves on a high-stakes and hilarious adventure.
Holly's Heroes is a children's drama series produced as a collaboration between the Nine Network in Australia and TVNZ in New Zealand. It was produced as a series of 26 episodes and first screened in 2005.
Street Legal is a New Zealand drama focused on the lives of a small group of lawyers. A total of 52 episodes were aired and reruns currently can be seen around the world. The show was produced by Screenworks.
Rowan, Adam, Alan and Britt (dungeon master Robert) play D&D. The four players play as their characters from Epic NPC Man, with whatever happens to the characters being deemed as canon in the Epic NPC Man universe.
Nothing Trivial is funny, warm and romantic and about people at a crossroads in their lives, particularly when it comes to finding that significant other to love and grow old with. It’s about people trying to find the answers to life’s big questions, while answering a whole lot of small and trivial ones… and winning the bar tab while they’re at it!
The Masked Singer NZ is a reality singing competition where 12 celebrities compete against each other in song. The contestants are masked head-to-toe in extravagant costumes, which completely conceal their identities. With the help of some clever clues along the way, New Zealanders and the celebrity guessing panel will have to try to work out which well known celebrity is hiding behind the mask!
Worzel Gummidge Down Under, adapted from the books written by Barbara Euphan Todd and the children's television programme produced and broadcast in the United Kingdom named Worzel Gummidge, starring Jon Pertwee. The story continued in New Zealand when Aunt Sally was sold to a Museum owner.
Two families - De Lutrelles and McFarlanes. They both live in the same house, but 130 years apart in time. De Lutrelle's: father Gervaise, mother Violette and daughter Constance. In their age, around the house were goldfields. Family emigrated from France with the remnants of their wealth, and hoping to find gold so they would restore their fortunes. McFarlan's: father Doug, mother Jenny who decided to get in a new business: eco-tourism. Guests will stay with Doug and his family - second wife Jenny, stepson Fergus, daughter Mandy, and sister-in-law Lily, who maked troubles wherever she goes! Doug has also another son, Daniel. When the series begins, Daniel decides he wants to meet the father who left him and his mother Caroline when he was just a baby. He invites himself to stay for the holidays and, with the help of the mirror, he changes everyone's life, his own included.
Jess must navigate her son's primary school world filled with other mothers keen on advancing their children's futures.
When Jo Tiegan is given an oval-shaped mirror, as a gift, by the elderly owner of an antique shop, she is amazed to see another girl's image in the mirror instead of her own reflection. It is also quite obvious that the other girl can see her just as clearly. Jo (from the 1990's) and 'the girl in the mirror', Louisa Iredale (from 1919), later accidently find that they can also travel to each other's times through the mirror - following upon which discovery a relentless sequence of events is set in motion.
Follow a teenage girl and a trio of fallen gods on a perilous journey as they attempt to bring an end to a demonic reign of chaos and restore balance to their world. Inspired by the 16th Century Chinese fable “Journey to the West.”
KIA ORA MO TE RETA is a comedy panel “man show” that talks about interesting man stuff like chicks, balls, and jokes. Nothing is off limits in this show. We will cover a whole lot of topics which guys aren’t allowed to talk about around their girlfriends and wives. Hosted by Te Arahi Maipi and Tammy Davis.
The story of legendary safe cracker and career criminal Ted West and his firecracker of a wife, Rita. Combining real events and the rich folklore of the West family and associates, this is rollicking history, and a tempestuous romance, set at a time of great social upheaval.
