The New Zealand International Film Festival jury made special mention of Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.


“Kapaemahu is an animated film which tells of mahu – “four extraorindary individuals” who travelled from Tahiti to Hawaii in ancient times to share their healing and restorative powers. The observation of the dismissal of this rich legacy in modern times is poignant and the narration in Hawaiian and the powerful chants add potency to this beautiful indigenous story which holds so much weight here in Aotearoa.”

Ngā Whanaunga Māori Pasifika Shorts was curated by Leo Koziol (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Rakaipaaka), Director of the Wairoa Māori Film Festival, with guest co-curator Craig Fasi (Niue), Director of the Pollywood Film Festival. This year was the first year awards have been offered for this collection.

The seven films in the collection are Purea (director: Kath Akuhata-Brown), Forgive Me (director: Chelsea Winstanley), Kapaemahu (director: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson), Emily (director Mark Papalii), I Am The Moment (director: Robert George), Money Honey (director: Isaac Knights-Washbourn), and Gurl (director: Mika X).