WHINA
North American Premiere
TRAILBLAZERS | MIND THE GAP | WORLD
New Zealand 2021, 112 min, Directors: James Napier Robertson, Paula Whetu Jones
This inspirational film reveals the extraordinary life of New Zealand’s Dame Whina Cooper, a courageous Māori woman whose lifelong activism on behalf of her people ranks her among the most influential proponents of nonviolent civil disobedience in the 20th century, on par with Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Directors James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones’ biographical drama explores the complex personal and political life of a community activist who would come to be known as “Te Whāea-o-te-Motu” or “Mother of the Nation.” Embodying such a heroic individual is no easy task, but three actors rise to the challenge of portraying Whina, including the iconic Rena Owen (Once Were Warriors), Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne (Hunt for the Wilderpeople), and the amazing Miriama McDowell, who commands the screen as Cooper in her middle years. Whina passionately recounts an essential chapter of national history, and will leave you wanting to tell everyone you know about this phenomenal individual. —Bri’anna Moore
In English and Māori with English subtitles