In a black-and-white photograph, a Māori woman speaks into a microphone in front of a crowd. Her fist is raised defiantly in the air.

In yellow font, the text reads: "The Haka Party Incident."

1h 28m

NEW. From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.

Available to watch in Aotearoa / New Zealand.

Made with support from RNZ, NZ Film Commission, Tasman Ray Productions, Images & Sound

Main Feature

From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.
Film
1h 28m

Trailers & bonus video

Trailer

From visionary director Katie Wolfe comes an unflinching documentary of a forgotten history retold from every side.
2m

Awards

Sydney Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

LA Independent Woman Film Awards

Human Rights Award

Māoriland Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival 2025

Official Selection

Birrarangga Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

Pápa International Historical Film Festival 2025

Official Selection

New York International Women Festival 2025

Documentary Feature

Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2024

Official Selection

Funded by

RNZ

Funded by

Tasman Ray Productions

Funded by

Images & Sound

Funded by

NZ Film Commission

More like this

  • Back to Timor

    Back to Timor follows the journey of four Kiwi military veterans who return to East Timor 25 years after serving as peacekeepers there. The big question for them: did they make a difference?
    Back to Timor/Film
    43m

  • Documentary

    After Indira Gandhi's assassination, the 1984 Sikh Massacre unfolded, with thousands of Sikhs violently killed over three days. Many sought asylum. 1984 follows their journey to find home in Aotearoa after enormous tragedy.
    1984/Film
    1h 4m

  • Documentary

    I Am a Dark River is a playful and experimental documentary focused on the story of New Zealand modernist printer and publisher Bob Lowry, through the eyes of his granddaughter Tess.
    I Am a Dark River/Film
    1h 10m

  • Fly Like a Moa

    Kauri isn't allowed to go rock-climbing with Lani. Kauri meets a moa and learns that everyone has different strengths.
    What Will I Be Today?/Season 1/Episode 1
    5m

  • We Look Down on Them

    Meet Tūī, Pūkeko, Kererū, and Pīwakawaka: four chatty birds who love to people-watch. They can't believe the absurdity of these modern-day humans.
    Bird's Eye View/Episode 1
    5m

  • Metiria Turei

    Did Metiria Turei mean to turn the 2017 election on its head? Earlier that year, the former Green Party co-leader made an admission that would upend their entire campaign.
    Matangireia/Season 1/Episode 1
    45m

  • NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara

    The Taranaki pā site of Pukerangiora holds a significant place in New Zealand’s military history as a lasting symbol of Māori resistance and resilience.
    NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara/Film
    44m

  • Whitiki

    A video documentary that tells the stories of three Māori Pioneers who went to battle in WWI, through the eyes of their descendants.
    Whitiki/Film
    52m

  • NZ Wars: Stories of Tainui

    NZ Wars: Stories of Tainui is the third compelling chapter in RNZ’s award-winning documentary project on the New Zealand Wars.
    NZ Wars: Stories of Tainui/Film
    48m

  • Dealing with Loss

    This episode looks at the devastating effect introduced mammals have had on New Zealand’s unique wildlife.
    Fight for the Wild/Episode 1
    45m

  • Aotearoa - Waking Up to the Dawn Raids

    The Dawn Raids story is overdue to be told. Long whispered about in secret family conversations, people have heard the words "dawn raids" but not what really happened.
    Untold Pacific History/Season 1/Episode 1
    14m

  • Episode 1

    We investigate the occupation at Ihumātao from the perspective of the leaders of the campaign to #ProtectIhumātao.
    Ake Ake Ake/Episode 1
    55m

  • Kororā: Little Blue Penguin

    In 2020, a Banks Peninsula family works to protect and survey the Indigenous population of white-flippered penguins, through predator trapping and citizen science.
    Kororā: Little Blue Penguin/Film
    30m

  • Ranginui Walker: Reclaiming Māori Education

    Starting off with a bang, the team dissect Ranginui Walker's chapter of the renowned book Decolonisation in Aotearoa. The team has a go at translating a bit of Reclaiming Māori Education -- check in to hear if it's an A+ pass or not.
    Whakamāori/Season 1/Episode 1
    36m

  • Shareef

    Drugs, lies and regret became a reality for Shareef after an encounter with some local gang affiliates, but growing up in the North has shaped this proud takatāpui into who he is today.
    The Barber Shop/Episode 1
    6m

  • Crown Lynn: A Māori Story

    A riveting slice of New Zealand history telling the iconic story of Crown Lynn pottery and the generations of Māori families that worked there.
    Crown Lynn: A Māori Story /Film
    53m

  • Meng

    Meng is a one hour bilingual documentary that follows former Gisborne mayor and current Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon.
    Meng/Film
    52m

  • NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau

    The fourth epic chapter in the award-winning NZ Wars series. Presented by Mihingarangi Forbes.
    NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau/Film
    56m

  • Episode 1

    Clothing expression is important to Wairua. Mia connects with her culture by spending time away. Lavi talks about cultural expectations. Theia feels welcomed by her own and judged by others.
    Duality/Episode 1
    21m

  • Janay Harding

    Janay Harding. "Hollowpoint." Bellator MMA. Gold Coast. Featherweight. 6-7-0. Ranked as the #7 female featherweight in the world. Janay finds her purpose through the sport of MMA.
    The Art of War/Episode 1
    11m

  • Episode 1

    Piripi takes us on a tour of his kingdom, introducing his girlfriend Luxy and showcasing his many talents, which include cleaning the whare and doing the lawns... NOT!
    The Adventures of Piripi Kaiwaru AKA Phillip! /Season 1/Episode 1
    9m

  • What Happens When Bowel Screening Comes Too Late: Cheryl Waaka's Fight with Stage 4 Cancer Is Also a Fight for Systemic Change

    Former Black Fern Cheryl Waaka represented Aotearoa New Zealand with pride. Now she's fighting stage 4 bowel cancer, which she believes could have been caught earlier. As the government walks back a targeted Māori screening programme, she's speaking out about the cost of delay, the price of treatment, and the lives still at risk.
    MATA with Mihingarangi Forbes /Season 3/Episode 14
    24m

  • The Chief

    In episode one, we first meet the prominent Māori chief Te Whakatōhea Chief Mokomoko who dedicates his life to protecting the land and people of Bay of Plenty's Te Whakatōhea Iwi.
    Stolen Lands: Betrayal of a Chief/Episode 1
    29m

  • Rave in the Chair

    Festivals are wild, loud, and crowded—not Soph’s vibe. As a wheelchair user, mud, portaloos, and a front-row view of bums make it worse. Accessibility is promised, but it’s never that simple. Can they handle it?
    This Is Wheel Life (New Season)/Season 2/Episode 2
    12m

  • The Driving Lesson

    When Trish, a spirited mother, decides to give her son Mana a driving lesson, what was intended to be a simple rite of passage quickly escalates into a chaotic encounter.
    A Place Called Te Awamutu/Episode 1
    5m

  • Tyrell

    Tyrell Taylor found a like-minded community of BMX riders, where rangatahi are given a chance to expand their skill set, be mentored, and be seen as equals. He reminds us not to forget what makes you happy.
    No Limits/Episode 1
    11m

  • IllumiNGĀTI

    Sibling vocalists Raiha, Hōrihi, & Hāne lead IllumiNgāti, a reggae band from Kawakawa covering Dave Para’s "You’re Magic" & debuting their bilingual single, "Illusion."
    The Barber Shop Sessions/Episode 1
    6m

  • Flower Pot Boombox

    Fat Freddy’s Drop depart Auckland, bound for London, 2003. Taking up residence for six weeks in Tooting, South London, the band sets up a studio in the lounge, and get straight into rehearsals and making beats.
    MARAUDERS/Season 1/Episode 1
    9m

  • Part 1 (2024)

    Ruamata captures the journey of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ruamata's rise to the top of hockey in Aotearoa as they become the first Māori immersion school in a century to compete in the prestigious Rankin Cup.
    Ruamata: It's More Than Hockey/Film
    1h 0m

  • Katchafire: Legacy

    The story of the Māori band Katchafire, as they struggle to find their way through volatile creative differences and a changing music landscape.
    Katchafire: Legacy/Film
    53m

  • Kenneth Roth

    Do Israel’s actions amount to genocide? Kenneth Roth has spent decades documenting human rights violations. He explains how genocide is defined—and whether it’s happening in Gaza. Plus, is Trump's power on the wane?
    30 with Guyon Espiner/Season 3/Episode 13
    32m

  • All Blacks at War

    Former All Black Andrew Mehrtens MNZM shares the story of the 13 All Blacks killed in WWI.
    All Blacks at War/Film
    44m

  • NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana

    The fifth chapter of this series, NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana recounts the events that unfolded in the Bay of Plenty and their far-reaching consequences for future generations.
    NZ Wars: Stories of Tauranga Moana/Film
    48m

  • Māhuhu o te Rangi

    We’ll look back on Māhuhu o te Rangi—Aotearoa’s largest waka taua—its voyages on the Waitematā, and its place within the iwi.
    Te Kawau ki Tai/Episode 1
    14m

  • Kia Tupato (Be Careful)

    With tensions rising between the new government and tangata whenua, Wayne and his traffic-management crew brace for the biggest Waitangi Day celebration in Aotearoa New Zealand's history.
    Hi-Vis/Episode 1
    6m

  • ACT: The Foreign Influences That Have Shaped David Seymour's Political Agenda, and What It Means for Aotearoa

    With ACT’s record 2023 election result and David Seymour’s rise to Deputy Prime Minister, the party is reshaping Aotearoa’s political landscape. But behind its growing power is a network of ideas—some homegrown, some imported—that raise questions about its stance on Te Tiriti and indigenous rights. Mata explores the forces shaping David Seymour’s ideologies, through the eyes of a former party insider.
    MATA Reports/Season 2/Episode 1
    39m

  • Hīkoi – Speaking Our Truth

    It was the social movement that changed the country's political landscape. 20 years on, Tāmati Rimene-Sproat retraces the 2004 Foreshore and Seabed march, all the way back to the steps of Parliament.
    Hīkoi – Speaking Our Truth/Film
    59m

  • "Why? Tangi Be Happy" – Eru Kapa-Kingi

    We speak with Eru "Te Kapa-Kingi o te Norta," a legal academic who was instilled by his parents with a political consciousness and critical perspective on Māori existence as tangata whenua
    Hori on a Hīkoi – Ngā Porokāte /Episode 1
    46m

  • Ground Work

    In the first of a three-part series, bands from Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland travel to Scotland to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships.
    12,000 Miles/Episode 1
    36m

  • Lau Yuet Seen

    It was September 1938 when Lau Yuet Seen received word from her husband to leave Fah Dei for Hong Kong as soon as possible. The Japanese troops were close to landing north of Hong Kong.
    Farewell Guangdong/Episode 1
    22m

  • Overview

    We dive into Te Tiriti o Waitangi—Aotearoa's founding document—and how it's shaped Aotearoa. Kara Rickards sits down with treaty experts, educators, and lawyers to delve deeper into the historical context.
    Treaty Talks/Episode 1
    46m

  • Inspiration to Write

    Nina Mingya Powles (writer & poet) grew up near Katherine Mansfield's Wellington home. KM ‘loomed’ over her childhood. Powles & graphic artist Sarah Laing make Mansfield a contemporary character.
    Shine On Katherine Mansfield/Episode 1
    7m

Video section home

Dark purple background with text, "Art Stories in Aotearoa".
An adult person is holding a young child in their arms and hugging them. Text reads, "Blind Bitter Happiness".
A Muslim man in a blue shirt stands in a mosque. The text reads "This Is Us"
A school of fish swim together in the ocean. The text reads "Turning the Tide"
The host, Mihingarangi Forbes, smiling at the camera. Text reads, "Mata".
A man operating a cannon, theres smoke coming out of it and a man next to it holding his hands over his ears. Text reads, "NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara".
Alice Snedden looking into the camera and holding a megaphone up to her mouth in her left hand. In her right hand she holds up a stack of paper, on the first page is a simple drawing of the beehive with a text bubble that says, "No voting for you!!!". Text reads, "Alice Snedden's Bad News". Both the text and Alice Snedden are on a bright blue background.
An archival picture of a group of Pacific Islanders posing for a group picture. The text reads "Untold Pacific History"
Eight seperate images edited into two rows of four, each showing different images of people and art. Text reads, "Marauders".
A large mountain capped with snow. Text reads, "Land of the Long White Cloud".
Troy Kingi wearing a traditional red poncho sits in the rocky Californian desert beneath a light blue sky. The text reads "Troy Kingi's Desert Hīkoi"
On a hockey field, four hockey players and their coach stand side-by-side with their hands crossed in front of them. At the bottom of the image, against a blue background, is the text: "Ruamata: It's More Than Hockey 2"
A sand dune with the ocean behind it in a cove, everything shadowy and violet in the twilight. The text reads "Whitiki! Whītī! Whītī! E!"
A large group of people protesting, they're all holding signs. Text reads, "Hīkoi, Speaking Our Truth".
Misty Frequency's mask sits by other masks on a shelf in a dressing room. The text reads "What's the Disability-Tea"
The silhouette of a man against a sun either rising or setting, the sky is mostly green with a thin bank of orange light along the horizon. Text reads, "Meng".
A person sitting on a stool, they're looking down. The image has been edited so that there's a strong orange toned light covering the image, obscuring the figures face. The text reads, "The Outliers".
A man standing with his arms crossed looking at the camera, he has visible tattoos on both forearms. He's highlighted with a blue light. Text reads, "NZ Hip Hop Stand Up" in neon green and pink.
Text reads, "House Talk" on a white brick wall background.
A background image made up of red orange and blue shapes. Text reads, "Shine One Katherine Mansfield" in the 'O' is a black and white photograph of Katherine Mansfield's face.
A portrait of a child looking into the camera. On their head is a collection of blue and green strips of ribbon that intertwine with their long braided hair. They are wearing a blue shirt, a jacket and a bow tie. Text reads, "Loading Docs". Beside the text is a simple graphic circle meant to look like a roll of film.
Bob Lowry, wearing an eyepatch, crown, and shirt with the words "In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is King," holds a finger in the air. The graphic is white and teal with a title to the left of him and curving below which reads: "I Am a Dark River"
Text reads, "Matangireia with Morgan Godfery". Background is beige with an out of focus letter M in fancy script.
The back of a woman walking down a path, she's wearing white pants and a silver shiny top with silver tassels coming off the back and arms. Her arms are outstretched. Text reads, "Inside Splore".