Film Screening + Director Q&A
gusfishergallery.auckland.ac.nzJoin Gus Fisher Gallery for a screening of archivist Heperi Mita’s documentary film as part of this year’s Matariki Festival. Learn more about Heperi’s mum, Merata Mita, pioneering Māori filmmaker and international champion of women in indigenous film. This documentary portrait details how her filmmaking intersected with the lives of her children and indigenous filmmakers globally, and features rare archival footage dating back to 1977.
“An intimate story of the birth of indigenous cinema told from the perspective of Merata’s son Hepi Mita. The sudden death of pioneering Māori filmmaker Merata Mita in 2010 led her son on a journey to uncover a story of a mother’s love that changed the landscape of indigenous participation in film forever. As a film archivist Hepi uncovers never before seen footage and shares deep personal accounts of her life that led her to blaze the trail for many indigenous voices we celebrate today; Warick Thorndon, Taika Waititi, Sterlin Harjo and Zoe Hopkins to name a few.
Merata Mita is the grandmother of Indigenous Cinema. This film is a dedication to her life’s work towards that goal.”
The screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with the director Heperi Mita.
RSVP here for this free event.
Price
- Free
Date
- Sat 10 Jul
Time
- 4:00 pm
Address
- Level 4, The Kenneth Myers Centre
- 74 Shortland St
- Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, 1010
Join Gus Fisher Gallery for a screening of archivist Heperi Mita’s documentary film as part of this year’s Matariki Festival. Learn more about Heperi’s mum, Merata Mita, pioneering Māori filmmaker and international champion of women in indigenous film. This documentary portrait details how her filmmaking intersected with the lives of her children and indigenous filmmakers globally, and features rare archival footage dating back to 1977.
“An intimate story of the birth of indigenous cinema told from the perspective of Merata’s son Hepi Mita. The sudden death of pioneering Māori filmmaker Merata Mita in 2010 led her son on a journey to uncover a story of a mother’s love that changed the landscape of indigenous participation in film forever. As a film archivist Hepi uncovers never before seen footage and shares deep personal accounts of her life that led her to blaze the trail for many indigenous voices we celebrate today; Warick Thorndon, Taika Waititi, Sterlin Harjo and Zoe Hopkins to name a few.
Merata Mita is the grandmother of Indigenous Cinema. This film is a dedication to her life’s work towards that goal.”
The screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with the director Heperi Mita.
RSVP here for this free event.
