Manaakitanga as Rotorua reels in film world

The first Rotorua Indigenous Film Festival starts today with a welcome at Tamatekapua and the screening there of a film about the late Merata Mita – Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen.

Piripi Curtis from Steambox productions says the three-day festival is just the start and organisers believe there is a place for an event that reaches a wider audience than the Wairoa and Maoriland festivals.

It’s also a draw for indigenous colleagues around the world, with filmmakers from Canada joining Australia local filmmakers.

"One of our key things is to have filmmakers come down and feel we have looked after them. Manaakitanga is part of our kaupapa for this, our Te Arawatanga, and we are encouraging filmmakers to come down so we can network and join together in creating more films, more indigenous films," Mr Curtis says.

Because it is the first time many in the audience would have been exposed to such a wealth of film the programme includes the best of Māori shorts over the past 20 or so years.

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