A Māori Gothic revenge horror, set in Victorian England.
Victorian England, 1859. When young Māori woman Mary Stevens is summoned from New Zealand to North Yorkshire, she uncovers her horrific colonial heritage and is driven to kill the titled Englishman who devastated her family.
Māori-led Mārama explores British colonial violence, cultural appropriation and cultural reclamation. Important themes wrapped in an Indigenous Gothic revenge horror film which points at the extreme violence colonial settlers inflicted upon Indigenous women (so be warned). Lead actress Ariana Osborne is amazing as Mary Stevens, an insecure Māori woman who finds out that the Englishman who summoned her is more than a distant friend. Māori herself, Osborne’s transformation into a Māori warrior halfway through the film, bursting into a Māori declaration of war, is nothing short of incredible. A truly unique film.
On Saturday, November 1st, director Taratoa Stappard will join us for a special Q&A.
