PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW ZEALAND HIGH COMMISSION

When Māori cousins Mata, Missy and Makareta meet as children, they are immediately bound by more than just blood – until they are separated to live vastly different lives. Orphaned Mata is raised by a racist guardian who forbids her from having any contact with her family. Makareta flees an arranged marriage to live an independent life in the city, while Missy takes on her role as custodian of their family land, both vowing to one day bring their stolen cousin home.

This quietly powerful film plays out in a non-linear structure that shifts perspectives between the three cousins at different stages of their lives across multiple decades. Notably, this is only the third feature film to be written and directed by Māori women, which is all the more relevant as Cousins explores heavy themes of kinship, identity and institutional assimilation – mirroring the shameful experiences of countless Māori women who have experienced state care throughout history.