Award-winning filmmaker Julian Arahanga is celebrating international recognition after his documentary The Stolen Children of Aotearoa won Best Indigenous Feature at the Wailuku Film Festival in Maui, Hawaii.
The award recognises the powerful documentary’s contribution to Indigenous storytelling and its unflinching examination of the abuse, trauma and lifelong impacts experienced by children placed in state care in Aotearoa.
The film gives voice to survivors whose experiences include abuse, separation from whānau, loss of whakapapa and enduring intergenerational trauma, while highlighting the disproportionate impact state care has had on Māori.
For Arahanga, the recognition is another milestone in bringing an important kaupapa to international audiences and ensuring the experiences of survivors are acknowledged beyond New Zealand.
The documentary was born from a desire to tell the stories of those who had too often been ignored or silenced, placing survivors at the centre of the narrative while examining the systemic failures that allowed abuse to occur over decades.
Rather than focusing solely on institutions, the film explores the human cost of state care through the voices of those who lived through it, revealing the long-term effects on identity, whānau connections and wellbeing.
Since its release, The Stolen Children of Aotearoa has generated widespread discussion across Aotearoa, with audiences describing the documentary as confronting, emotional and essential viewing.
Many survivors have also spoken about the importance of seeing their experiences recognised on screen, with the film contributing to broader conversations around truth-telling, healing and accountability.
The documentary follows the findings of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, which found that hundreds of thousands of children, young people and vulnerable adults experienced abuse and neglect while in the care of the state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 2019.
Māori were among those disproportionately affected, with many children removed from their whānau, culture and language, leaving lasting impacts that continue to be felt across generations.
Arahanga hopes the film continues to encourage meaningful change by keeping public attention on the experiences of survivors and reinforcing the need for accountability, justice and reforms that ensure future generations of tamariki are protected.
The international award also highlights the growing recognition of Indigenous filmmakers whose stories address difficult histories while celebrating resilience, truth and the strength of Indigenous communities.
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