Ka Whawhai Tonu - Struggle Without End

Michael Jonathan’s debut feature is an epic, action-filled account of the 1864 battle of Ōrākau where a small group of disparate Māori, vastly outnumbered by British soldiers, went to war to defend their families and homeland.

Born to an English army father and Māori mother, young Haki (Paku Fernandez) has followed in his father’s footsteps. Captured by Māori, Haki’s life is placed on the line. He’s set free by Kōpū (Hinerangi Harawira-Nichola), a reluctant medium to a war god who dreams of her own freedom from service. As British forces inch nearer, the tribe’s leader, Rewi Maniapoto (Temuera Morrison), agrees to a pact with neighbouring tribes to take a seemingly impossible stand against the invaders.

During the ensuing battle, Haki and Kōpū escape with the surviving younger children. As they search for a safe haven, Haki is haunted by an unspeakable act of war he committed at his militaristic father’s behest. As the British forces continue to take hold and tragedy strikes again, Haki must make a critical decision that will define the rest of life.

Visually spectacular and told from an staunchly Māori perspective, Ka Whawhai Tonu features stunning debut lead performances from its two young stars and appearances from Māori screen legends Morrison and Cliff Curtis. With a cast and crew composed of many descendants of the actual battle of Ōrākau, director Jonathan and writer Tim Worrall draw a direct and potent connection between the legacy of the strength of one’s ancestors and the power that’s inherent in cultural perseverance.

JASON RYLE

Content advisory: violence