Join us for a special evening celebrating the work of Far North filmmakers, featuring short films that explore identity, whanau, place and art.

FIRST HALF

We open with Disconnected (2021), written and directed by Maruia Jensen and winner of the Nga Whanaunga Maori Pasifika Shorts Award at the NZ International Film Festival. An emotional Maori short exploring grief, whanau and the struggle to move forward after loss — a reminder that in a hyper-connected world, the deepest connections are often the ones we can't see.

Followed by Pititi (2025), written and directed by Tajim Mohammed-Kapa. When a Maori boy pinches a peach from his neighbour's tree, he sets off a clash that changes him forever — a drama about a tama from a broken home, a grumpy kaumatua, and the dream of being somewhere else. Stay after the screening for a Q&A with director Tajim Mohammed-Kapa.

SECOND HALF

As a bonus, we lead into the second half with an abridged showing of Drum/Sing (1985, 5min), Gregor Nicholas's visually stunning short - a fitting segue, as its soundtrack forms the score for the film that follows.

Closing the evening is Te Haa o te Ao (2026) Simon Ogston's 18-minute documentary follows the creation and installation of Chris Booth's latest large-scale public sculpture at the entrance to his hometown of Kerikeri.  Standing almost 20 metres tall and weighing more than 30 tonnes, 'Te Haa o te Ao' is an unusual and challenging feat of engineering, as well as a powerful statement about the current climate crisis, and how we are responding to it. 

Stay after the screening for a Q&A with sculptor Chris Booth and director Simon Ogston.

Come support local storytelling and stay for two Q&A sessions with the directors and artists behind the films.
 

Date:  Thursday 17 September

Venue: Auditorium

Doors: 6.00pm

Show: 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Interval: 7.55pm - 8.15pm

 

This event was made possible with support from Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board.