A Feast of Films…

There are two exceptional films on at present in Tāmaki Makaurau – both made in Aotearoa.

Cole Meyer, who spoke at SSBD about the film

Rūrangi– written by Cole Meyer, produced with Oliver Page and directed by Max Currie: “one of the most beautifully drawn evocations of romance I’ve seen..” and “a ground-breaking production from New Zealand” are two of the media comments. Another significant comment: “A momentous victory for Trans representation”.

We totally agree with these comments.  This is a deeply sensitive portrayal of a young transgender man coming back home to see his father for the first time since he transitioned, ten years ago.  It shows the young man he has become, his fears and his courage, and the variety of responses he meets  from his father and former best friends.  We can’t speak too highly of the story, of all the cast (half of whom are trans people), and of the quality of the filming. 

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/saturday/audio/2018754518/celebrating-trans-experiences-rurangi-director-max-currie

Dawn Raids , directed by Oscar Kightley was stunning, a beginning-to-end story of how a group of South Auckland Pasifika musicians took their music from garages in Papatoetoe to recording studios in New York . 

The group were outstandingly successful, musically, and also as musical entrepreneurs and fundraisers.  They showed considerable business acumen in their initial activities, and reached the heights of New York and world-wide positive recognition.  However, they foundered on tax debt in Aotearoa.  We believe that had they been Pakeha musicians the IRD might well have supported them through debt collection and repayment rather than persecuting them mercilessly.

The film gives us all a chance to celebrate again the huge Māori and Pasifika musical talent, and liveliness of spirit and entrepreneurship, in South Auckland. And congratulations to Oscar Kightley and his team for the brilliant production.

We have also seen two interesting lesbian films from Britain- Summerland and Ammonite.

Neither was as moving and convincing as the two films above from Aotearoa, but still enjoyable.