Wairoa Māori Film Festival facts for kids

The Wairoa Māori Film Festival is a special film festival in New Zealand. It's the main festival for films made by Māori people and other indigenous (native) filmmakers from around the world.

This exciting festival happens every year in a small town called Nuhaka in the Hawke's Bay Region. It takes place during the time of Matariki, which is the Māori New Year. Matariki is a time for celebrating, remembering, and planning for the future.

The festival first started in 2005 and has been held every year since then. It began to travel to other places in New Zealand, like Auckland and Wellington, in 2008. Now, it even travels to different countries around the world, sharing amazing indigenous films with more people.

The Wairoa Māori Film Festival is held at the historic Kahungunu Marae. A marae is a special meeting place for Māori people. The festival also gets help from the New Zealand Film Commission, which supports filmmaking in New Zealand.

Festival Awards: Celebrating Great Films

Each year, the Wairoa Māori Film Festival gives out awards to the best Māori and indigenous films. It's a way to celebrate the talented filmmakers and their stories.

For short films, the people who watch them (the audience) get to vote for their favorites. This means you could help decide which short film wins! For other awards, a group of special guest judges decides who the winners are. These judges are often experts in film or people who know a lot about Māori and indigenous cultures.

The awards help to shine a light on important stories and voices from Māori and indigenous communities. They encourage more people to make films and share their unique perspectives with the world.