Once Were Warriors (film)
| Once Were Warriors | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Lee Tamahori |
| Written by | Riwia Brown |
| Based on | Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff |
| Produced by | Robin Scholes |
| Starring | Rena Owen Temuera Morrison Cliff Curtis Julian Arahanga Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell |
| Cinematography | Stuart Dryburgh |
| Edited by | Michael J. Horton |
| Music by | Murray Grindlay Murray McNabb |
| Distributed by | Footprint Films |
Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Languages | English Māori |
| Box office | NZ$6.7 million |
Once Were Warriors is a 1994 New Zealand tragedy film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of the Heke family, an urban Māori whānau living in South Auckland, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism, and domestic violence, mostly brought on by the patriarch, Jake. It explores the detrimental effects of the colonisation of New Zealand suffered by Māori, and the survival of Māori culture against all odds.
The film was directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Riwia Brown, and stars Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis. It became the highest-grossing film of all-time in New Zealand, and has won numerous awards.