Matariki

• Director: Michael Bennett
• Writer: Michael Bennett, Gavin Strawhan
• Cast: Jason Wu, Jarod Rawiri, Mark Ruka, Sara Wiseman, Edwin Wright
• Theatrical Release Date:
• On The Web Film WebsiteIMDB Entry

Synopsis: Just as the stars of the Pleiades constellation come together to mark the Matariki – the Maori New Year and a time of new beginnings – so too do the five intersecting stories of Michael Bennett’s first feature film merge into a fascinating portrait of a community. It is New Year’s Eve and Gunge (Edwin Wright) finds that his debt to a ruthless drug dealer sets off a chain of events that rip through his South Auckland neighborhood. After bravely intervening in a beating, star rugby player Tama (Mark Ruka) finds his own life in jeopardy. His wife, Megan (Sara Wiseman), comes into conflict with Tama’s Maori family over decisions concerning his care. Tama’s brother Rick (Jarod Rawiri) is so rocked by the tragedy that he is forced to confront his own secrets and his allegiance to Maori values. Meanwhile, teenaged Aleki (Jason Wu) struggles to find his identity in a new home. Transplanted from a small island in the South Pacific to the vibrant, multicultural community of South Auckland, Aleki feels caught between his father’s traditional values and the temptations of his new culture. Nearby, Lisa (Alix Bushnell), who is nine months pregnant and devoted to her drug addicted boyfriend, begins to suspect that he may not make the best father for her baby. The problems and fears of this remarkably disparate group intertwine to form a compelling sphere of hope and transcendence. Renowned cinematographer Alun Bollinger (a favorite of director Peter Jackson) masterfully captures the gritty shadows of a crime in-progress, the harsh neon of a hospital room and the soft intimate lamplight of a lover’s bed. Building on the success of his notable short films "Cow" and "Kerosense Creek," Bennett focuses on the triumphs and crises of these unknowingly connected individuals to reveal the evolving mosaic of a culture and a city on the cusp of transformation. [Synopsis courtesy of Jane Schoettle/Toronto International Film Festival]