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Tauihu Media Takes On Ngā Aho Whakaari Contract
Tauihu Media producer Tui Ruwhiu and Tauihu Shorts executive producer Poata Eruera have a contract to produce the short film Weaving Texas Bread as the fulfillment of a year long effort by the guild for Māori in film and television Ngā Aho Whakaari to uncover and develop screenwriting talent in the regions.
Selected from four stories under consideration in this Aho Shorts initiative, Weaving Texas Bread by Hokianga writers Marie Thompson and Wayne Te Tai tells the story of the struggle a young woman faced as she was forced to choose between her heritage of traditional spiritualism and her love and his Christian beliefs.
The Tauihu producers worked with the writers to develop the final draft, which will go into production in March helmed by Eruera. The film is due for delivery in May.
Aho Shorts was funded through Ngā Aho Whakaari by the New Zealand Film Commission in an effort to lead Māori screenwriting talent to Te Papae Ataata, the Māori feature film script development body.
Aho Shorts
Aho Shorts is a strategy to grow film story telling talent in the regions. This initiative was developed by the guild for Māori in film and television – Ngā Aho Whakaari – and funded through them by the New Zealand Film Commission. Over a two year period, writing workshops were held in the Hokianga, Waiariki and Waikaremoana. Four films have been selected for production through Aho Shorts, with a separate contract for each one.
Ngā Aho Whakaari
Ngā Aho Whakaari was established in 1996, after a series of hui called by Māori film and television practitioners concerned that Māori should be accurately represented in the development of Māori broadcasting by Government.
Many of the originators of Ngā Aho Whakaari were earlier involved with Te Manu Aute, which was an informal collective of Māori filmmakers that actively lobbied for stronger Māori representation in Government decision-making about Māori film making and broadcasting in the 1980’s.
Ngā Aho Whakaari has over recent years been primarily occupied with developments in the television sector and the structure of the board has reflected this. Tui was brought in to help bolster film experience and knowledge as well as take advantage of his marketing and communications background.
Learn more about Ngā Aho Whakaari here.
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