MĀORILAND CHARITABLE TRUST
TŌ TATOU MOEMOEĀ
Māoriland Charitable Trust grows social, economic and cultural opportunities for Māori film and Creative Excellence.
Our Vision is to be a self-sustaining, world-renowned centre for Māori and Indigenous film and creative excellence
Who knew that in the early 1920s sunny Ōtaki by the Sea was poised to become “The Los Angelos (sic) of New Zealand’s Moving Picture Industry…”?
Māoriland Charitable Trust is a Māori led organisation that delivers the Māoriland Film Festival alongside Year-round Film and Creative programmes and projects from the Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki.
Māoriland Charitable Trust (MCT) was formed in 2016 to facilitate the operation of the Māoriland Film Festival (founded 2014) and its growing programme of year-round activities.
The Māoriland Film Festival has grown to be the largest presenter of Indigenous screen content in the Southern Hemisphere. It includes industry-focussed events, emerging technology (VR/AR/XR), a lecture series NATIVE Minds, sound and stage performances, and a full visual arts programme called Toi Matarau.
The MCT purchased and established the Māoriland Hub in 2017. It showcases Indigenous creativity and innovation through film, visual, music and performing arts, technology, and kōrero: all of which reflect the power of the story. It houses Māoriland Productions and the Māoriland Tech Creative Hub (MATCH) and the training programmes to pathway Māori into the screen and digital arts industries.
The Māoriland Hub is a home for the Indigenous, a home for the arts, a home for ideas and conversations – he whare taketake, he whare tapere, he whare kōrero.
Māoriland started as a film festival
Today, the Māoriland Film Festival is the flagship event for Māoriland – a year-round operation that includes
Māoriland Hub
MĀORILAND FILM FESTIVAL
Aotearoa’s international Indigenous Film Festival.
The MFF is the world’s largest celebration of Indigenous storytelling with five days of screenings, interactive installation and art exhibitions, industry events and more.
The 12th Māoriland Film Festival will be held from March 26 – 30, 2025.
MĀORILAND PRODUCTIONS
Authentic, Original, Indigenous
Māoriland Productions is dedicated to Indigenous creative excellence in screen storytelling, with a mission to inspire the next generation of Māori and Indigenous storytellers.
Producing a wide variety of content, including feature films, short films, documentaries, podcasts, animation, and reversioning, Māoriland Productions showcases authentic Indigenous voices and narratives.
TOI MATARAU GALLERY
Toi Matarau is Māoriland’s art gallery – dedicated to showcasing the work of Māori and Indigenous artists.
Toi Matarau provides a space for Māori artists to gather, collaborate, and exhibit their work, allowing visitors to experience the rich mauri of taonga tuku iho through diverse art forms.
M.A.T.C.H
PURITIA
Māoriland Film Festival’s portal for Indigenous filmmakers and audiences, serving as a bridge between talent and community.
Through Puritia, Māoriland offers a talent development opportunities and resources for established and emerging Indigenous filmmakers.
VISIT US
Māoriland Hub
68 Main Street Ōtaki, Kapiti Coast
Aotearoa
Opening Hours
11 am – 4 pm, Monday – Saturday
Ngā Pou O Te Whare
Hou mai koe ki roto i te whare kōrero o Māoriland. Ko tōna tāhuhu ko te iwi, ko te poutāhu ko te mana o te kupu, ko te poutuarongo ko te ira tangata. Kei waenga ko te poutokomanawa o te aroha noa. Ka mutu, ko ngā pou koko ka titi iho ki te whenua ko ēnei:
We bid you entry into our house of stories. The ridgepole is the people, the front post is the authority of the word, the rear post is the essence of our humanity. Between them, we find the support pillar of love. The posts that anchor the corners to the land are these:
Koakoa | Celebration
Māoriland celebrates the rise of Indigenous cinema. It invites filmmakers from around the world to share their compelling big-screen stories with us, and with each other.
Ohooho | Inspiration
Māoriland upholds the mana and inspiration of our storytellers. We are guided by our elders, and taught by our children. The festival assists our community to expand their perspectives and connect with those from other cultures.
Manaaki | Respect
Māoriland is rooted in the traditions and language of the hapū and iwi of Ōtaki. It is our honour to extend manaakitanga to the many visitors to the festival.
Kōtahitanga | Inclusion
Māoriland provides a portal to the Indigenous world for ALL people. It assists social cohesion, a sense of pride, and the informed well- being of our community.
Kāti. Tuia te kawa, tairanga te kawa, ko te kawa o te manaaki i te tangata tēnei ka poua nei.
We are committed to creating environments and presenting work that upholds the mana and inspiration of our storytellers – guided by our elders and taught by our children.
We respect our audience – Māoriland is rooted in the traditions and language of the hapū and iwi of Ōtaki.
It is our honour to extend manaakitanga to all who present their work and experience those presented within Māoriland.