Short Connections

A collection of five Kiwi short films playing as part of the 2024 Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival. Each story depicts the ways we connect with, and disconnect from, each other.

Payback

When a welfare department’s prejudice can no longer be tolerated, a group of unlikely heroes band together. Made in collaboration with Toi Whakaari, Mia Blake cleverly reflects the state of the nation in this punchy black comedy.

The Sea Inside Her

Award-winning filmmaker and choreographer Alyx Duncan builds on her unique movement-led films, depicting an anxious grandmother desperate to protect her grandchild from the dangers of the world. 

Earthlings

A lonely teenager shares a moment of intimacy with a mysterious stranger in this surprising and sensitive film. Jamie Lawrence evokes a surreal world that tenderly explores identity, belonging and the desire for connection. 

Lost at Sea

A young woman and her friends gather at a bach to honour the memory of a loved one. Made in collaboration with Toi Whakaari, Asuka Sylvie conjures an evocative atmosphere in this poignant portrait of grief.

The Lascar

In the 18th century, hundreds of Indian sailors, known as lascars, worked in brutal conditions among seal-hunting gangs in Aotearoa. One such crew is shaken when a lascar is caught trading with two Māori behind the back of the gang’s tyrannical British leader. 

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