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The first still image from the adventure drama Ka Whawhai Tonu has been released as the feature film begins worldwide sales at the Cannes film market.
Set in Aotearoa in 1864, Ka Whawhai Tonu tells the story of a pivotal battle in the first New Zealand land wars from the perspective of Māori, in te reo Māori.
"A battle fought with impossible odds between Māori and the Colonial forces. This heroic conflict is told through the eyes of two young teenagers forced to take control of their own destiny amidst the chaos of the battle and their escape," a release provided to New Zealand media on Wednesday by the film's publicist says. The Hollywood Reporter ran an exclusive yesterday.
Ka Whawhai Tonu will be released next year during Matariki weekend to coincide with the 160-year anniversary of Ngāti Maniapoto chief Rewi Maniapoto's famous battle cry, 'E hoa, ka whawhai tonu mātou, Āke! Āke! Āke!' (Friend, we will fight on forever, forever and forever!)
The film introduces fresh faces Paku Fernandez and Hinerangi Harawira-Nicholas in the lead roles, alongside Temuera Morrison (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngati Maniapoto), Cliff Curtis (Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Pikiao) and English actor Jason Flemyng (X-Men: First Class).
It is written by Tim Worrall (Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Arawa) with the assistance of the Sundance Native Lab.
“It has been a great privilege to be part of telling this story to honour our courageous ancestors who fought and died to ensure that we survived,” says Worrall.
Mike Jonathan (Ngāti Maniapoto) is the film's director and the producers are Piripi Curtis (Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Pikiao) and Thomas Toby Parkinson.
A veteran producer, Parkinson says this is one of the "most important" events in Aoteaora history.
“This is a story told for the first time from an indigenous point of view and will change the way we view history.”