Matariki Whatarau

Acting

Matariki Whatarau

Acting credits

The Dead Lands poster
6.1

Hongi, a Maori chieftain’s teenage son, must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honour to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains led by Wirepa, Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden “Dead Lands” and forge an uneasy alliance with a mysterious warrior, a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.

The Dead Lands

2014

Ata Pūao poster
NR

Amid the nightlife of a new city, a young Māori trans woman reckons with safety, isolation, and the fragile bonds of old friendships outgrown — as the promise of belonging rises just beyond the horizon.

Ata Pūao

2025

In the Fire of War poster
5.3

Two young teenagers are forced to take control of their own destiny amid the chaos of a pivotal battle in New Zealand’s first land wars in 1864.

In the Fire of War

2024

Mahana poster
6.4

1960s, East Coast of New Zealand. Two Māori sheep-shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, are longstanding enemies and commercial rivals. 14-year-old Simeon Mahana, the youngest son of the youngest son is in conflict with his traditionalist grandfather, Tamihana. As Simeon unravels the truth behind the longstanding family vendetta he risks not just his own future prospects but the cohesion of the entire tight-knit society.

Mahana

2016

No artwork available
7.0

When a brother dies in a car accident, blame and bitterness take their toll as love and loyalty are tested amongst friends and family. Nevertheless, it is still possible to fall in love, to laugh again, to play soccer and to sing. But it takes courage to move on and unless you take the first step, you can't take the next.

Taking the Waewae Express

2008

The Pā Boys poster
6.5

The Pa Boys is an energetic, uplifting road movie capturing the best of New Zealand's culture, beauty, talent and music, whilst exploring themes of identity, friendship and discovering your roots.

The Pā Boys

2014

The Dance Exponents: Why Does Love? poster
7.5

The story of the rise and fall and rise of one of New Zealand’s most loved and iconic bands, The Exponents.

The Dance Exponents: Why Does Love?

2017

Friday Tigers poster
10.0

A young mother struggling with the pressures of study and a dysfunctional relationship finds comfort in the make-believe world she shares with her daughter.

Friday Tigers

2013