The Haka

Short film The Haka gives the heartwarming true story of 'The Christmas Truce' a Māori twist. After receiving a tin of biscuits all the way from Aotearoa, a group of  soldiers end up making unlikely friends with the enemy, after exchanging season's greetings across no-man's-land. Eventually, a ceasefire is called and the men socialise for the holiday, which shows both the similarities and differences between the two cultures. Released online on Anzac Day in 2021, the Wellington-made short screened at a festival of Australiasian films in the south of France, and was named Best Film at Kiwi festival Top of the South.

The Haka is a beautiful film on a terrible war which caused millions of deaths. But this film, with humour and sensitivity, gives us faith and hope in humanity. It is a film that we have to share to remember that there were wars, but also that they can be avoided if we share our mutual cultures. I am very happy to be able to share it with the French audience.

– Bernard Bories, President of French festival Cinéma des Antipodes, in a 14 July 2021 press release

Key Cast & Crew

April Phillips

Writer

Hamish Karawana-Innes

As: Wiremu

Fredrick Pokai

As: Hemi

Shannon Lee

Producer

Matt Ruglys

As: Captain Earnest

Isaac Lee

Director, Writer, Editor