Muru

In October 2007, the police conducted 'Anti-Terrorism' raids on the Tūhoe community of Urewera, sparking nationwide controversy. Inspired partly by these events, Muru is an action-drama predominately in te reo Māori, with the perspective of the Tūhoe community at its core. Directed by Tearepa Kahi (Poi E, Mt. Zion), it stars Cliff Curtis (The Dark Horse) as a conflicted Tūhoe police sergeant, and activist Tāme Iti as himself (he features in both clips). Muru pitches itself as "a response", not a recreation. Producer Reikura Kahi called it "a story which weaves the deep past and the recent present together..."

I remember 14 years ago watching the footage somehow on the TV3 news bulletin, and I remember thinking to myself 'what are those men in blue doing?' They were about to smash open the sliding door, and I remember also thinking that sliding door's open — if you want to talk to anybody in Rūātoki, the door is always open — all you need to do is knock.

– Writer/director Tearepa Kahi on the Tūhoe police raids, in an interview with Waatea News, 18 October 2021

Key Cast & Crew

Cliff Curtis

As: Sergeant Tuffy Tawharau, Executive Producer

Tame Iti

Producer, As: Tame Iti

Selina Joe

Producer

Reikura Kahi (née Morgan)

Producer

Jay Ryan

As: Gallagher

Tearepa Kahi

Director, Writer, Executive Producer