We had the pleasure of interviewing Writer-Director Taratoa Stappard about Mārama, his first feature film, which premiered at TIFF, where we first saw it. Mārama is a Māori gothic horror set in Victorian England in 1859, about a young Māori woman who is summoned from New Zealand to North Yorkshire, where she uncovers the horrific truth of her colonial heritage, and she must destroy the titled Englishman who has devastated her family.

Today's conversation dived into the inspiration for Mārama and how its themes of colonization, cultural theft, and reclaimation are told through a Māori lens. We also discussed how important it was to weave cultural safety through every part of the making of Mārama - from development through to daily on-set practice and how to preserve your mental health when working on films with sensitive subject matters.

CONTENT WARNING: trauma, death, suicide

READ TRANSCRIPT HERE: https://braaainspodcast.com/s/Braaains-Podcast-EP080-transcript_-Marama_-Maori-gothic-horror-and-the-trauma-of-colonialization-and-tda3.pdf

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