Waru

M
2017
|
86 mins
Trailer
Poster for Waru

Eight Māori female directors contribute a sequence to this feature which unfolds around the tangi of a boy who died... More

Where to watch Waru

Waru is available to stream in Australia now on Google... More Play and Apple TV Store and SBS On Demand and Beamafilm.

Waru | Ratings & Reviews

"Chances are, you’ve never witnessed anything like Waru. This isn’t because of its multi-narrative one-shot structure - comparable to 2005’s Nine Lives - and the actual reason for Waru’s uniqueness isn’t a positive one. With only two feature films credited to female Māori directors, Merata Mita's Mauri and Ramai Hayward's To Love a Māori, the voices of Aotearoa’s native women haven’t been heard enough in cinema. With Waru, the film's eight directors deliver an emotional shout into that silence, and it carries the spread and whaea power of a shotgun."

Flicks, Liam MagurenFlicks

"Compelling, often surprisingly funny, indelibly moving and occasionally jaw-droppingly brilliant."

StuffStuff

"Even if some scenes resonate less than others, the overall impact of Waru is stunning and it is impossible not to be moved and impressed in equal measure."

StuffStuff

"Passion is a thrilling, guiding element to this film; the thematic dedication to exploring the Maori culture dealing with this grief is just the beginning."

Roger EbertRoger Ebert

"Waru stands a sturdy testament to the way film can generate resonant art from difficult subject matter. All New Zealanders should see it."

New Zealand HeraldNew Zealand Herald

"It's an electrifying commitment to culture and in many ways it feels uniquely New Zealand."

NewsroomNewsroom

"Waru is confronting, thick with grief, rage, a guilty impotence and a tormented desperation."

NewshubNewshub

"This doesn’t always work – a sequence about the media is a bit heavy-handed – but when it does, it’s mind-altering."

New Zealand ListenerNew Zealand Listener

"A fascinating glimpse into New Zealand's contemporary Maori community, Waru brings a sense of dramatic, urgent realism to a story that plays out like a suspenseful mystery."

Hollywood ReporterHollywood Reporter

"The best New Zealand drama in years."

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