Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2025 will be the place to be, as it will premiere the new Māori gothic film, Mārama.
The film is set in Victorian-era Britain, specifically in 1859, North Yorkshire, England. It’s about a young wahine Māori fighting to reclaim her identity and indigenous culture.
It will be Māori filmmaker Taratoa Stappard’s debut movie.
“To share my first feature with international audiences in the Discovery programme at TIFF is a huge honour. Mārama is my Māori gothic love letter to our whenua, our tīpuna and the stories that live in the shadows” said Stappard (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa).
The film boasts a stellar cast, featuring actors who may be new to some audiences and well-known to others.
Ariāna Osborne (Ngāti Mutunga and Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) is in the leading role, acting alongside British actors Toby Stephens and Umi Myers.
It is a full circle moment for the upcoming film, as it was originally one of the selections in TIFF’s discovery programme, which spotlights new voices in global cinema.
Mārama joins the list with many other debut and sophomore features from 30 other countries.
Stappard’s movie was developed with the support from the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), through the festival’s industry initiatives, alongside imagineNATIVE, The Black List, the Zurich Film Festival, and the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
“Mārama’s selection for TIFF’s Discovery programme is a clear reflection of the NZFC’s kaupapa to champion bold and authentic storytelling. Taratoa’s vision, deeply grounded in te ao Māori, is the kind of work that resonates globally while retaining a distinctly New Zealand voice. We’re proud to see this story take its place on the world stage,” NZFC CEO Annie Murray wrote in a statement.
The film will premiere at TIFF between September 4-14 in Toronto, Canada.
The film was made in association with the NZFC, NZ On Air, Whakaata Māori, and Images & Sound. Vendetta Films will distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand. MPI International will manage global rights sales.
