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The chair of the Maoriland Film Festival says indigenous films are becoming a distinct genre that audiences seek out.
This month’s festival will bring filmmakers, artists and film fans to Otaki to share their creations with residents.
Tainui Stephens says over the past four years the festival has grown as people come to appreciate the way tangata whenua tell their stories.
"And whether they come from the Arctic Circle or Samoa or Murupara, we've all got aunties, we've all got uncles, we've all got problems with the kids, we've all got traditions. we've all got languages and we can all meet at that human level, and I think the time for storytelling, the time for art now in this era is ever more important," he says.
This year more than 100 films, shorts and videos will screen at the festival, which runs from March 15 to 19.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH TAINUI STEPHENS
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