TRAILER RELEASED FOR MURU A RESPONSE TO THE TŪHOE RAIDS

FROM WRITER AND DIRECTOR TEAREPA KAHI, MURU WILL RELEASE IN NATIONWIDE CINEMAS ON SEPTEMBER 1ST

On the eve of Matariki, the trailer for new action-drama film Muru has today been unveiled ahead of its nationwide general release on September 1st, 2022. From award-winning writer and director Tearepa Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion), world renowned actor Cliff Curtis and artist Tame Iti, the film is a response to the 2007 Tūhoe raids. Muru is a Māori concept for reconciliation and forgiveness. The film has today been announced to open the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival on July 28th at Auckland’s The Civic.

Filmed in Te Urewera and Rūātoki, Muru stars Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse, Avatar 2), Jay Ryan (IT Chapter Two, The Furnace), Manu Bennett (The Hobbit trilogy) and Simone Kessell (Obi-Wan Kenobi). Support cast includes Ria Te Uira Paki (The Dead Lands), Roimata Fox (Waru), Poroaki Merritt-McDonald (Savage) and Tame Iti as himself.

Tearepa Kahi’s previous feature films Mt. Zion and Poi E: The Story of our Song both set local box office records. Kahi commented: “Working alongside Cliff and our incredible cast, in Tame’s backyard, in Tame’s native tongue, was a shared dream we’ve been working on for a long time. I’m hopeful that national recognition of Matariki, a month-long commitment to Reo Māori through Mahuru Māōri, means we’re ready as Aotearoa to open ourselves to a film like Muru."

Lead producer Reikura Kahi (Poi E: The Story of our Song) said Muru is a powerful and revealing te reo Māori language film with strong performances from a dream cast: “Muru is not a re-creation of the events, but a story which weaves the deep past and the recent present together, in order to reach a place, we deserve now more than ever.”

Lead actor and executive producer Cliff Curtis added: “My movies in Hollywood are for the most part entertainment. But at home in Aotearoa, every few years I am privileged to work with story weavers like Tearepa and Reikura Kahi to make cinema such as Muru that is profound, heartfelt and meaningful. This film is a work of love, conflict and forgiveness. See it. Discuss it. Share it.”

NZIFF General Manager Sally Woodfield said “Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival is extremely proud to open our 2022 festival with the World Premiere of Tearepa Kahi’s te reo Māori film Muru. It’s incredibly special for the festival to celebrate its return to Auckland’s The Civic by presenting this powerful retelling of such a significant episode of Aotearoa’s history and we can’t wait to bring the film to festival audiences around the country.”

Kahi worked with cinematographer Fred Renata (Poi E: The Story of our Song, Mt. Zion), Academy Award winning editor John Gilbert (Hacksaw Ridge, The Lord of the Rings) and composer Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper (Shadow in the Cloud) to bring Muru to life. Reikura Kahi is the lead producer, alongside producers Selina Joe and Tame Iti.

Muru is the first feature film to be funded under Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga - New Zealand Film Commission’s He Pounamu Te Reo Māori Feature Film Fund. NZFC Pouwhakahaere Te O Kahurangi Waaka says: “Muru is a significant film in many ways. Firstly, as the first film to be supported through Te Rautaki Māori’s He Pounamu Te Reo Māori Feature Film Initiative. Secondly, it is another signature film for writer/director Terepa Kahi, his producer wife Reikura and their creative team. Thirdly, it is also very important as a film that supports the Iwi of Tūhoe, acting as a response to and insight into the traumatic impact of the police actions on their communities. A stellar cast of experienced and emerging Māori and te reo talent ably share the Iwi perspective on the events.”

The film was made with additional investment from Arclight Films International, Te Māngai Pāho, NZ On Air/Irirangi Te Motu, Three, Imagezone and Images & Sound. Muru is being distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Rialto Distribution, with Arclight Films International handling rest of world sales.

Muru is confirmed to open the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin, with a special screening in Whakatāne, ahead of its nationwide general release on September 1st 2022.