A documentary portrait of the pioneering indigenous filmmaker and activist Merata Mita and an intimate tribute from a son about his mother that delves into the life of the first woman from an Indigenous Nation to solely direct a film anywhere in the world. Known as the grandmother of Indigenous cinema, Merata’s independent political documentaries of the 1970s and 80s highlighted injustices for Māori people and often divided the country. Mita was fearless in her life, her activism and her art. Chronicling the director’s journey to decolonize the film and television screens of New Zealand and the world, the film documents her work, her early struggles with her family and her drive for social justice that often proved personally dangerous.
Directing | Hepi Mita | Director |
Production | Cliff Curtis | Executive Producer |
Camera | Mike Jonathan | Director of Photography |
Production | Chelsea Winstanley | Producer |
Editing | Te Rurehe Paki | Editor |
Crew | Desray Armstrong | Post Production Supervisor |
Sound | Dick Reade | Sound Editor |
Sound | Tama Waipara | Music |
Editing | Annie Collins | Consulting Editor |
Production | Manutai Schuster | Associate Producer |
Editing | Angela Boyd | Online Editor |
Production | Awatea Mita | Production Assistant |
Writing | Hepi Mita | Writer |
Writing | Tearepa Kahi | Creative Producer |