Waru
Eight Māori female directors contribute a sequence to this feature which unfolds around the tangi of a boy who died at the hands of his caregiver.
"We see a single death through the differing lenses of the extended family, community, and in one sharp sequence, national media too. Waru weaves multiple reactions and offers a glimpse into the events which ensue upon the killing of a child and the conflict created among loved ones." (RNZ/The Hui)
- Director:
- Briar Grace-SmithCasey KaaAinsley GardinerKatie Wolfe ('Kawa')Chelsea CohenRenae MaihiPaula JonesAwanui Simich-Pene
- Writer:
- Briar Grace-SmithCasey KaaAinsley GardinerKatie WolfeChelsea CohenRenae MaihiPaula JonesJosephine Stewart-Te Whiu
- Cast:
- Tanea HekeRoimata FoxNgapaki MoetaraAwhina-Rose AshbyMaria WalkerKararaina RangihauAcacia HapiMiriama McDowellAmber Curreen
Reviews & comments
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksChances are, you’ve never witnessed anything like Waru. This isn’t because of its multi-narrative one-shot structure - comparable to 2005’s Nine Lives - and the actual reason for Waru’s uniqueness isn’t a positive one. With only two feature films credited to female Māori directors, Merata Mita's Mauri and Ramai Hayward's To Love a Māori, the voices of Aotearoa’s native women haven’t been heard enough in cinema. With Waru, the film's eight directors deliver an emotional shout into that silence, and it carries the spread and whaea power of a shotgun.
Rescued
Waru has been lauded as a great New Zealand film, but that’s an oversimplification and you need to be prepared for the practicalities. It is eight connected short films, with different writers, directors and performers in each. That has the inevitable consequence of producing eight very different pieces, some of which are superb. I went into Waru knowing...
karu opener.
There are countless stories of child abuse throughout the years on the news. Waru explores this social issue through 8 different perspectives, perspectives that weren’t directly affected but were still affected majorly by the event of the childs death. In saying this we weren’t shown the mothers, fathers or anyone too close’s perspective. Through this we as...
A story that needs to be told.
We've seen it in the news but not like this. Waru takes the delicate topic of child abuse and weaves the many narratives into a beautifully crafted piece of cinema. It's unapologetically raw and it should be! It allows us to see the stories of how such a tragic issue can ripple from the immediate whānau, to the community and throughout the nation. The best...
A punch in the heart
Waru is a movie that examines the fallout and impact of child abuse on the community. The story blows the viewer away with its raw honesty and powerful displays of acting. This is a story set in the Maori community but it affects everyone around Aotearoa. This movie brought me to tears and has made an indelible mark upon my heart. This is a must see, timely...
Beautifully devastating
It is beautifully devastating! Such a powerful film for us as woman, for us as people and for us as a country. I had the privilege of watching Waru at the Hokianga Film Festival where there was also an open discussion with one of the directors, two of the actors and the community – And what an incredible korero it was! Ma te pa ka taea te whakatipu te...
A bit of a mixed bag
A bit of a mixed bag. From a technical point of view the shorts are excellent and there are some powerful moments . But the short form is also what hinders it, with things feeling forced and unearned. Surface level comments which never delve deeper (much like my reviews). Also some questionable dialogue and acting. But each of these filmmakers are very...
Wow.
"When I died, I saw the whole world." These are the first words we hear in WARU, whispered in voice-over by the titular character, a young Maori boy whom we will never meet - because he has been murdered. His tangi, taking place on a rural marae, is today; the consequences and implications of his death, we realise with sobering clarity, will resonate for...
Stuff
pressCompelling, often surprisingly funny, indelibly moving and occasionally jaw-droppingly brilliant.
Stuff
pressEven if some scenes resonate less than others, the overall impact of Waru is stunning and it is impossible not to be moved and impressed in equal measure.
Roger Ebert
pressPassion is a thrilling, guiding element to this film; the thematic dedication to exploring the Maori culture dealing with this grief is just the beginning.
New Zealand Herald
pressWaru stands a sturdy testament to the way film can generate resonant art from difficult subject matter. All New Zealanders should see it.
Newsroom
pressIt's an electrifying commitment to culture and in many ways it feels uniquely New Zealand.
Newshub
pressWaru is confronting, thick with grief, rage, a guilty impotence and a tormented desperation.
New Zealand Listener
pressThis doesn’t always work – a sequence about the media is a bit heavy-handed – but when it does, it’s mind-altering.
Hollywood Reporter
pressA fascinating glimpse into New Zealand's contemporary Maori community, Waru brings a sense of dramatic, urgent realism to a story that plays out like a suspenseful mystery.
Flicks, Liam Maguren
flicksChances are, you’ve never witnessed anything like Waru. This isn’t because of its multi-narrative one-shot structure - comparable to 2005’s Nine Lives - and the actual reason for Waru’s uniqueness isn’t a positive one. With only two feature films credited to female Māori directors, Merata Mita's Mauri and Ramai Hayward's To Love a Māori, the voices of Aotearoa’s native women haven’t been heard enough in cinema. With Waru, the film's eight directors deliver an emotional shout into that silence, and it carries the spread and whaea power of a shotgun.
Stuff
pressCompelling, often surprisingly funny, indelibly moving and occasionally jaw-droppingly brilliant.
Stuff
pressEven if some scenes resonate less than others, the overall impact of Waru is stunning and it is impossible not to be moved and impressed in equal measure.
Roger Ebert
pressPassion is a thrilling, guiding element to this film; the thematic dedication to exploring the Maori culture dealing with this grief is just the beginning.
New Zealand Herald
pressWaru stands a sturdy testament to the way film can generate resonant art from difficult subject matter. All New Zealanders should see it.
Newsroom
pressIt's an electrifying commitment to culture and in many ways it feels uniquely New Zealand.
Newshub
pressWaru is confronting, thick with grief, rage, a guilty impotence and a tormented desperation.
New Zealand Listener
pressThis doesn’t always work – a sequence about the media is a bit heavy-handed – but when it does, it’s mind-altering.
Hollywood Reporter
pressA fascinating glimpse into New Zealand's contemporary Maori community, Waru brings a sense of dramatic, urgent realism to a story that plays out like a suspenseful mystery.
Rescued
Waru has been lauded as a great New Zealand film, but that’s an oversimplification and you need to be prepared for the practicalities. It is eight connected short films, with different writers, directors and performers in each. That has the inevitable consequence of producing eight very different pieces, some of which are superb. I went into Waru knowing...
karu opener.
There are countless stories of child abuse throughout the years on the news. Waru explores this social issue through 8 different perspectives, perspectives that weren’t directly affected but were still affected majorly by the event of the childs death. In saying this we weren’t shown the mothers, fathers or anyone too close’s perspective. Through this we...
A story that needs to be told.
We've seen it in the news but not like this. Waru takes the delicate topic of child abuse and weaves the many narratives into a beautifully crafted piece of cinema. It's unapologetically raw and it should be! It allows us to see the stories of how such a tragic issue can ripple from the immediate whānau, to the community and throughout the nation. The...
A punch in the heart
Waru is a movie that examines the fallout and impact of child abuse on the community. The story blows the viewer away with its raw honesty and powerful displays of acting. This is a story set in the Maori community but it affects everyone around Aotearoa. This movie brought me to tears and has made an indelible mark upon my heart. This is a must see,...
Beautifully devastating
It is beautifully devastating! Such a powerful film for us as woman, for us as people and for us as a country. I had the privilege of watching Waru at the Hokianga Film Festival where there was also an open discussion with one of the directors, two of the actors and the community – And what an incredible korero it was! Ma te pa ka taea te whakatipu te...
A bit of a mixed bag
A bit of a mixed bag. From a technical point of view the shorts are excellent and there are some powerful moments . But the short form is also what hinders it, with things feeling forced and unearned. Surface level comments which never delve deeper (much like my reviews). Also some questionable dialogue and acting. But each of these filmmakers are very...
Wow.
"When I died, I saw the whole world." These are the first words we hear in WARU, whispered in voice-over by the titular character, a young Maori boy whom we will never meet - because he has been murdered. His tangi, taking place on a rural marae, is today; the consequences and implications of his death, we realise with sobering clarity, will resonate...
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