Waru
(2017)Eight connected stories. One life-changing event.
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.... More
"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)Hide
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Directed by Briar Grace-Smith, Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner, Katie Wolfe ('Kawa'), Chelsea Cohen, Renae Maihi, Paula Jones, Awanui Simich-Pene
Starring Tanea Heke, Roimata Fox, Ngapaki Moetara, Awhina-Rose Ashby, Maria Walker, Kararaina Rangihau, Acacia Hapi, Miriama McDowell, Amber Curreen
Written by Briar Grace-Smith, Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner, Katie Wolfe, Chelsea Cohen, Renae Maihi, Paula Jones, Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu
Out Now (On-Demand,
DVD or Blu-Ray)
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Waru
BY pcampbell66 nobody
I went into Waru knowing what the central event was, so expected it to be tough to watch and it was, though, at times, that was more about the variation in quality... More on the screen than the topic. It is important to provide opportunities to make films, how else will people learn? What’s unusual here is that we see intelligent, beautifully crafted work alongside writing and or performances that were genuinely disappointing. The contrast between some shorts was jarring.
Should you go and see Waru? Absolutely, yes. Will you have to forgive it periods of awful cliche and direct exposition in the mouths of characters? Yes. Does it redeem itself with simplicity, complexity, honesty, courage, power and leave you with a haunting personal challenge? Yes.Hide
BY dakotas nobody
Lastly the camera shots, there was no quick cuts but one complete take of the shot. This being done, only added more emphasis on the kaupapa. In no sense did it seem fake, like it was actors being told to say this and to do that but it felt real to the audience. The effect on the camera also added to the emotion the audience felt, in some narratives it looked semi foggy and in the last narrative was black and white.
I would definitely recommend this film to everyone in New Zealand, its time to open our karu (eyes) to the reality that we live in and start to do something about this. This film is thought provoking and allows us to korero about such a haunting issue in Aotearoa.Hide
BY nathanrahui nobody
What makes this movie even more mean, are the solid performances by all the wāhine toa in the film. They take our emotions on a rollercoaster ride of laughing at Charm's assertiveness over steam pudding, to the truly poignant scene between the two kuia. A special mention to Acacia Hapi, who plays Mere, for delivering a powerful scene that truly hits hard. The continuous camera shots are something many of us wouldn't have seen before, which gives even more credit to the cast.
The movie will leave you both haunted and comforted, allowing us ALL to have important kōrero about what is happening in our country.Hide
BY JonathonH nobody
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 and visually potent movie that is astounding.
BY MARIANNE01 lister
KUDOS TO THE 8 FEMALE DIRECTORS OF THIS POWERFUL AND MOVING NZ MOVIE - IT IS ALWAYS UP-LIFTING TO SEE NZ MOVIES BUT EVEN MORE SO WHEN TALENTED WAHINI ARE INVOLVED. MEMORABLE
Showing 5 of 8 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
Passion is a thrilling, guiding element to this film; the thematic dedication to exploring the Maori culture dealing with this grief is just the beginning. Full Review
The best New Zealand drama in years. Full Review
A 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. Full Review
Even 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. Full Review
Waru is confronting, thick with grief, rage, a guilty impotence and a tormented desperation. Full Review
Compelling, often surprisingly funny, indelibly moving and occasionally jaw-droppingly brilliant. Full Review
Waru stands a sturdy testament to the way film can generate resonant art from difficult subject matter. All New Zealanders should see it. Full Review
A beautifully honest and powerful collaboration. Full Review
This doesn’t always work – a sequence about the media is a bit heavy-handed – but when it does, it’s mind-altering. Full Review
It's an electrifying commitment to culture and in many ways it feels uniquely New Zealand. Full Review
BY Liam Maguren Flicks Writer
Chances 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.... More
The film displays eight moments in time, each realised in one shot and starting at 10am on the same day. They all connect to the tangi of a small boy named Waru: a teacher trying to cope with the loss; a mother locked out of her house after an all-nighter; two women on a rural road heading straight into a hornet’s nest. The pacing and dynamics of each scene never stay the same, embedding this latitudinal form of storytelling with a convincing sense of time, place and reality.
Cinematographer Drew Sturge does a hell of a job bringing a visual tonality that ties the tales together. Some elements aren’t so consistent, however. The doses of 2D animation in Mihi add very little and somewhat distracts from an otherwise quietly tense situation. The segment Kiritapu calls bullshit on toxic Pākehā media, which is very satisfying, but the cast surrounding Maria Walker’s performance play their roles with a cartoonish satire that doesn’t fit an otherwise grounded feature.
But one thing that cannot be faulted is the nine central performances. Young Acacia Hapi makes an almighty impact as Mere, a quite girl who takes a stand. Kararaina Rangihau and Merehake Maaka effortlessly carry a shipping container’s worth of emotional weight as Waru’s grandmothers, making grim debates in regal fashion. For me, however, the total knockout of Waru is Tanea Heke as Aunty Charm, who juggles distress and command (as well as humour) with levels of authority and vitality rarely matched by any other supporting performance in New Zealand film history.Hide
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