April 2014 — Maoriland Film Festival a Huge Success

By Otaki Mail
3182

 Maoriland Film Festival a Huge Success

Rupene Waaka presented Navajo Indian film maker Blackhorse Lowe, a, with a photograph of the opening of the first marae meeting house in 1927, following the welcoming powhiri
Rupene Waaka presented Navajo Indian film maker Blackhorse Lowe, a, with a photograph of the opening of the first marae meeting house in 1927, following the welcoming powhiri

They came, they saw and Otaki conquered the large contingent of New Zealand and international film makers, here for the recent inaugural Maoriland Film Festival.

“We achieved what we wanted — to make it fun for the film makers and the audiences,” festival organiser, Otaki’s Libby Hakaraia, said. “To me, this town has always been incredibly special. There was a place for an indigenous film festival in New Zealand. We saw Otaki as the perfect location for an international festival. We’ve certainly put our festival and Otaki on the map.”

From the very first event, the traditional powhiri, welcoming our visitors onto Raukawa Marae and to Otaki, the overseas visitors and our New Zealand film makers, were completely “taken” and impressed with the whole “feel” of the festival and the surrounding countryside.

OtakiMail-April2014 4.3mb PDF