Mana Wairoa Film Awards 2011

PRESS RELEASE: MANA WAIROA FILM AWARDS 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday June 4 2011

The organisers of this year's Wairoa Maori Film Festival Awards are proud to announce the Mana Wairoa Film Awards 2011:

Best Actor – Short Film (Aotearoa Audience Award)
HARLEN HOANI THOMPSON IN "KORO'S MEDAL" DIRECTED BY JAMES BARR

Best Male Actor – Feature Film (2011 Aotearoa Drama)
RANGIMOANA TAYLOR IN "HOOK LINE AND SINKER" DIRECTED BY ANDREA BOSSHARD & SHANE LOADER

Best Female Actor – Feature Film (2011 Aotearoa Drama)
MABEL WHAREKAWA-BURT IN "MATARIKI" DIRECTED BY MICHAEL BENNETT

Best Short Film (2011 Aotearoa Audience Award)
"TAKU RAKU E" DIRECTOR KARARAINA RANGIHAU PRODUCER MERATA MITA

Best International Indigenous Entry (2011 Festival)
"LANI'S STORY" DIRECTOR GENEVIEVE GRIEVES (AUSTRALIA)

Best Aotearoa Feature Drama or Documentary (2011 Festival)
"MATARIKI" DIRECTOR MICHAEL BENNETT

Mana Wairoa Festival Prize (Best Overall Entry Festival 2011)
"OCTOBER 15" DIRECTOR KIM WEBBY PRODUCER PIETRA BRETKELLY

For the first time, the Wairoa Maori Film Festival in association with WIFT Women in Film & Television presented the WIFT Mana Wahine Award 2011:

WIFT Mana Wahine Award 2011
KATIE WOLFE

Katie Wolfe (Ngati Tama, Ngati Mutunga, Pakeha) is a film maker, actor and director, having completed two short films (“THIS IS HER” and “REDEMPTION”) and most recently directed her first feature “NIGHTS IN THE GARDEN OF SPAIN” which is screening next month at Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco. The Mana Wahine Award is a new award at the Wairoa festival, and will now be presented annually by WIFT in association with festival organisers.

Frameline Film Festival:
http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=2368&FID=48

The awards ceremony was presented at a packed house at Kahungunu Marae, Nuhaka, Wairoa District, with MC and Karaoke entertainment provided via Te Hamua Nikora (“Homai Te Pakipaki”). Over 40 films were presented at two marae in the Wairoa District over five days.

"KORO'S MEDAL" Director James Barr accepted the Audience Actor Award on behalf of Harlen Hoani Thompson. "KORO'S MEDAL" held its World Premiere at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival, travelling on to the Edinburgh Film Festival next month for its International Premiere.

Local Tuhoe film maker Kararaina Rangihau was present to accept the Audience Award for Best Short Film "TAKU RAKAU E." The film was made locally in the Wairoa District at Lake Waikaremoana, the first locally made short film presented at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival. "TAKU RAKAU E" was Produced by Merata Mita and has previously played at ImagineNative Toronto and Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival (Kathmandu).

Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon presented the award for International Indigenous Entry. "LANI'S STORY" is the true story of a young woman surviving abuse and addiction. Lani Brennan, the subject of the film, is of both Aboriginal and Maori descent.

Kim Webby was present to receive the Mana Wairoa Festival Prize for "OCTOBER 15." The film profiles the day, October 15, 2007, that New Zealand Police launched anti-terrorism raids on the people of Tuhoe, in Ruatoki Valley and beyond. The Mana Wairoa Festival Prize recognises the most outstanding entry to the year's festival and also has a kaupapa of supporting film makers whose work contributes to the advancement of the human rights of indigenous peoples.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival is a non-political not-for-profit community event presented annually by Te Roopu Whakaata Maori Inc. Parts of the programme are travelling on to screenings in Auckland, Invercargill and Raglan.

AUTHORISED BY TE ROOPU WHAKAATA MAORI WAIROA MAORI FILM FESTIVAL INC.

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