Gisborne Herald, 3 June 2008
Environmental doco wins top award
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
By Sophie Rishworth
It was like a night at the Oscars, Wairoa- style.
About 150 people, including indigenous film-makers from all over the world, gathered for a candlelit dinner in Wairoa’s War Memorial Theatre on Saturday night.
The 2008 Maori Film Festival Awards was a chance for them to sit back and reflect on all the hard work achieved over the past year and celebrate indigenous film making.
Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia told them the festival was beginning to make its mark around the country and emphasised the importance of it coinciding with Matariki — the traditional Maori New Year.
“Matariki is a time of newness, moving from the old to the new. The reason this festival grows and is really great is because it is in line with Matariki,” he said.
Festival director Leo Koziol and his mother Huia Koziol were congratulated for their perseverance in keeping the festival going.
“This is a lesson in bringing things that are recognised nationally and internationally to a town like Wairoa — I look forward to the fourth year,” he said.
Rawiri Paratene followed Mr Horomia on stage, opening up with a rendition of There’s No Business Like Show Business.
His banter kept the audience entertained — and when it came time to announce the evening’s award winners, the laughs continued.
Each sealed envelope contained the wrong matching award winner.
The comedy of errors delighted the audience, who enjoyed the light-hearted manner with which it was handled and eventually all winners were announced for the right category.
The two judges were inundated with entries this year and the winners were:
Overall winner was Restoring the Mauri of Lake Omapere, an environmental documentary directed by Simon Marler.
The Audience Award was Patu Ihu directed by Summer Agnew.
Best Documentary Aotearoa was awarded to Turangaarere: John Pohe Story, about a World War 2 pilot, and directed by Julian Arahanga.
Best international indigenous long documentary was Four Sheets to the Wind directed by Sterlin Harjo.
Best international indigenous long documentary was Way of the Warrior directed by Patricia Loew.
The best international indigenous short documentary was Nigger Lovers. Aboriginal director Rhonda Hagen travelled from Australia with her husband for the film festival. Unfortunately, a confused travel agent in Australia booked them into a hotel in Napier, assuring them it was close enough.
They did not make it to the awards dinner to accept the award but did travel every day from Napier to Wairoa to watch the film festival movies.
