Budding young filmmakers, passionate about sharing their culture through film, were celebrated at the E Tū Whānau Ka Rere Te Manu Rangatahi Film Awards 2025, held at the Māoriland Hub in Ōtaki on June26.
Whānau, school friends and people working in the film industry joined the young creatives for a special screening of films made in E Tū Whānau Rangatahi Film workshops run by Māoriland throughout the motu over the last year.
This was followed by the presentation of awards recognising their filmmaking talent, including new categories for design.
“We’re so proud of the films the rangatahi have presented,” says Māoriland Film Festival Director, Madeline Hakaraia De Young, “the calibre gets better and better each year.”
For many rangatahi this was their first time taking part in a film awards ceremony and they too felt proud that their work was being celebrated by their peers.
The E Tū Whānau Ka Rere Te Manu Film Rangatahi Film Awards 2025 Winners
The Best Film – Pīrere, made by students under 18 years of age. was awarded to Kāpiti College for The Curse of the Dirty Dishes.
The Best Film – Poīpīaopao, made by students under 14 years of age, went to Pikopiko for Forest 21.
Other awards went to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hokianga for the Best Documentary; Pakipūmeka, Ōtaki College for the Best Use of Theme; Wai Ora, TKKM o Porirua for Best Performances – Pīrere (under 18), and Pikopiko for Best Performances – Pīpī Paopao (under 14) and Best Performances (under 12).
Creating employment opportunities for rangatahi
Māoriland is a Māori-led organisation that delivers the annual Māoriland Film Festival and the E Tū Whānau Ka Rere Te Manu Rangatahi Film Awards. E Tū Whānau has supported its rangatahi programme since its inception.
Over the last decade, E Tū Whānau has also worked alongside Māoriland to develop skills and create employment opportunities for rangatahi interested in pursuing a career in filmmaking.
“The partnership with E Tū Whānau has enabled Māoriland to deliver filmmaking workshops in line with our Te Uru Maire – rangatahi strategy,” says Madeline Hakaraia-De Young.
Since 2014, thousands of rangatahi have taken part in E Tū Whānau Rangatahi Film workshops to deliver stories based around the E Tū Whānau values. Many are from communities where these sorts of opportunities are limited and possibly not even on their radar.
The workshops are an opportunity for rangatahi to learn the intricacies of the filmmaking art. They try scriptwriting, directing, acting, set design and wardrobe as they craft their movies till they’re ready for screening. Māoriland mentors work directly with the young filmmakers throughout the process, inspiring them to tell their stories in creative ways that feel true to them.
A vision for the future
E Tū Whānau Kaiwhakahaere, Heni Turner says the decade-long collaboration with Māoriland has helped embed the E Tū Whānau values and extended the reach of the kaupapa among rangatahi across the motu.
“Most importantly, its giving hundreds of rangatahi a chance to learn practical story telling skills that can used in many ways, including film making, and it inspires them to think broadly about their future pathways, and with a vision of the creative, interesting careers available to them.”
Heni Turner, E Tū Whānau Kaiwhakahaere
