Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab is for Māori filmmakers with the aim to create exceptional feature films for local and international audiences.
With funding from Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga (NZFC) and support and mentoring from International Indigenous Screen partners and filmmakers we are building teams of Māori Writers, Directors & Producers on five feature film projects, to become finance and production-ready.
For Writers
Māoriland Indigenous Script Accelerator (MISA) (Pou Tuatahi)
and Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab (Pou Tuarua – Pou Tuawhā)
Key Dates:
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
Start Date 1 October
For Producers & Directors
Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab (Pou Tuarua – Pou Tuawhā)
Key Dates:
Applications open 9 October
Deadline extended – 7 November 2024
Participants notified 15 November 2024
Tautoko the Kaupapa
If you’re interested in supporting the creatives in the kaupapa, email maddy@maorilandfilm.co.nz
NGĀ KAITUHI
Paula Whetu Jones
Sins of the Mother
A powerful, character-driven family drama exploring the generational impact of trauma, guilt, and the bond between mothers and daughters.
Aroha Awarau
Hidden
A tense, emotionally charged crime thriller following Pere, a rural Māori cop, and Lupe, a determined Sāmoan mother, as they search for their missing gay relatives.
Tainui Tukiwaho
Hemo is Home
A darkly comedic fantasy that follows 9-year-old Hemo, raised by the ghosts of his ancestors in an ancient urupā. Tainui Tukiwaho is an award-winning playwright and director with a 20-year career in the performing arts.
Rafer Rautjoki
The Jade Stars
A vibrant exploration of ambition, cultural identity, and family dynamics set in 1960s New Zealand. Rafer Rautjoki began his filmmaking journey inspired by his mother, pioneering Māori filmmaker Merata Mita.
Kirk Torrance
Don Te Haute
A darkly humorous yet heartfelt story of redemption, centering on a man struggling with his mental health. When his estranged daughter is deported to his address, he devises a wild plan to help her return to her kids in Australia and hopes to make up for a lifetime of absence.
NGĀ TUAKANA
TEINA
Kath Akuhata Brown
The Ugliest Woman in the World
A poignant exploration of self-worth, identity, and societal expectations wrapped in a comedic and dramatic narrative. The story follows Adi, a Māori widow who is thrust into a bizarre legal battle following the death of her wealthy husband, Joseph.
Libby Hakaraia
Disco Kuini
An energetic, vibrant coming-of-age story set in 1980s New Zealand, following two spirited Māori teenage girls, Miriama and Kararaina, navigating the complexities of race, culture, and identity through their love of disco.
Bronson Price
Pressure
A visually powerful drama exploring the societal and familial expectations placed on three Auckland teenagers.
Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab Overview
Information for Māoriland Indigenous Script Accelerator Applicants
We invite expressions of interest from experienced Indigenous Producers and Directors from Aotearoa to join the Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab.
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab is a transformative program designed to support and empower Indigenous filmmakers on the journey to creating world-class feature films. Our aim is to build strong creative teams and support them in becoming finance and production-ready.
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab will provide access to mentorship, wrap-around support, and global Indigenous networks and showcase opportunities at the Māoriland Film Festival and imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, preparing participants for domestic and international film markets.
Call for Directors & Producers
We are now looking for directors and producers to join these projects.
You must have credits in short or long-form drama as a producer or director to apply.
This is for experienced filmmakers ready to step into the feature film space.
Applicants will be required to submit the following information:
- Contact Details
- Indigenous Affiliation
- Personal Bio
- CV and relevant experience
- Eligible Credits (Producer/Director credit on a film that has screened at an international film festival)
- Pitch Video
- Acknowledgement of Māoriland Tikanga and Terms of Program
- Acceptance of Puritia Declaration
Pou Tuarua Selection Process
Shortlisting
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab Kāhui will review all eligible applications against program criteria and goals, producing a shortlist of potential producer and director partners.
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab Kāhui is made up of Adam Piron (Sundance Indigenous Program), Lindsay Monture (imagineNATIVE Film Festival Director), Emile Peronard (Award winning Greenlandic Producer), Tainui Stephens (Experienced Māori Producer) and Libby Hakaraia (Kaitiaki Pūrakau – Māoriland).
Social Hour
All shortlisted participants will join the writers and the kāhui in a Zoom Social Hour.
During this social hour, writers will pitch their projects to the shortlisted producers and directors.
Interviews
All shortlisted participants will then be interviewed via Zoom and assessed by the kāhui. The kāhui will then build out the key creative teams.
A second interview, including the Writers, may be held where relevant.
Whakawhanaungatanga
Following selection, the teams will attend a wānanga at the Māoriland Hub in early December. This wānanga will test the key creative teams to ensure their compatibility.
Location
The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab will be delivered through Wānanga at the Māoriland Hub and remotely. Participants will work in their own time to develop their projects.
All participants will receive wrap-around pastoral care and support to develop their projects.
Accommodation and travel will be provided as required.
About Māoriland Charitable Trust
The Māoriland Charitable Trust has leveraged its successful Māoriland Film Festival, and extensive work in film training and production, into strong relationships with the Indigenous film community, worldwide. This unique global network, combined with our decades of experience in nurturing and showcasing authentic Māori screen stories, underpins our kaupapa: Maiangitia Te Mana Ataata – Towards Māori Screen Success
Eligibility: To participate in the Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab, applicants must:
- Be of Indigenous descent.
- Live in Aotearoa
- Have a previous relevant credit on a film that has been selected to screen at a film festival.
- Commit to the duration of the kaupapa.
Confidentiality: All materials discussed or provided within the Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab constitute Confidential Information. All participants in the Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab will be required to sign an NDA.
Policies: The Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab operates according to Māoriland Charitable Trust policies, including but not limited to; Māoriland Kaimahi Policy, Māoriland Health & Safety Policy, Māoriland Child Protection Policy, Māoriland Tikanga and Te Hohou Rongo – Māoriland Complaints and Disputes Policy.
Amendments: Māoriland Film Festival reserves the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time. Participants will be notified of any changes.
By applying to participate in the Māoriland Indigenous Co-Lab, you agree to these terms and conditions.
OTHER PROGRAMS
M.A.T.C.H – The Māoriland Tech Creative Hub
M.A.T.C.H Creative Intensifiers are 12-week workplace training programs for Māori to pathway into the film and creative industries.
A unique opportunity to learn in a kaupapa Māori environment, M.A.T.C.H identifies and supports Māori potential.
Puritia Incubator
The Puritia Incubator (2022-2023) A year-long, intensive production-based training programme for rangatahi Māori to enter the screen industry.
Over 10 Wānanga, Puritia Incubator Participants developed skills in camera, sound, editing, assistant direction, lighting, and production and gained experience on short film sets.
Ngā Pakiaka Incubator Program
The Ngā Pakiaka Incubator Program was developed in 2020 with support from Māoriland Charitable Trust, Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga (New Zealand Film Commission), the Sundance Institute Respond & Reimagine Plan, Department of Post and Indigenous filmmakers worldwide.
Following a competitive selection process, eight projects were “greenlit” Aree Kapa from Te Kao, Bailey Poching from Tāmaki Makaurau, Keeti Ngātai-Melbourne from Te Araroa, her elder sister Tioreore Ngātai-Melbourne, Te Mahara Tamehana from Kaitaia, Tiana Trego-Hall from Mitimiti, Te Waiarangi Ratana from Kirikiriroa and Oriwa Hakaraia from Ōtaki.
Over 18 months, the rangatahi filmmakers received one-on-one mentorship from industry experts and script and craft development workshops. Production was supported by professional crew.
Each film is ambitious and truthful, and all celebrate the types of stories that can be explored when rangatahi are given the freedom to create.
The completed films are screening globally, resonating with audiences and winning awards.
NATIVE Slam
The NATIVE Slam is an international Indigenous collaboration challenge initiated by Māoriland Film Festival in 2016.
Over 72 hours, four teams of 3 Indigenous filmmakers work together to produce a short film to screen at the MFF.
Since 2016, five NATIVE Slams have produced 21 short films and involved 60 Indigenous filmmakers. It has also led to creating strong and enduring filmmaker networks across the Indigenous world.