Exclusive: The Agency has signed Rūrangi co-showrunner and director Max Currie for global representation.
Currie will join a roster of clients at The Agency already including Sally Wainwright, Russell T Davies and Sam Mendes.
His New Zealand-set drama Rūrangi won the International Emmy for Best Short Form series and a second season is due to launch this month.
Currie’s next directing project is Refuge, which is being produced by Craig Gainsborough. Arlo Green (Nautilus) wrote the script and will star in the feature.
As we reported in December, Hulu acquired U.S. rights to season two of Rūrangi, which is due to launch this month. Prime Video has taken it in the UK.
Rūrangi is set in New Zealand and follows the story of transgender activist who returns to the small rural community he’s from with the hopes of reconnecting with his father. Currie was co-showrunner alongside Briar Grace-Smith.
Currie will join a roster of clients at The Agency already including Sally Wainwright, Russell T Davies and Sam Mendes.
His New Zealand-set drama Rūrangi won the International Emmy for Best Short Form series and a second season is due to launch this month.
Currie’s next directing project is Refuge, which is being produced by Craig Gainsborough. Arlo Green (Nautilus) wrote the script and will star in the feature.
As we reported in December, Hulu acquired U.S. rights to season two of Rūrangi, which is due to launch this month. Prime Video has taken it in the UK.
Rūrangi is set in New Zealand and follows the story of transgender activist who returns to the small rural community he’s from with the hopes of reconnecting with his father. Currie was co-showrunner alongside Briar Grace-Smith.
- 2/14/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Hulu has picked up exclusive U.S. streaming rights to the second season of New Zealand transgender drama Rūrangi, which recently won an International Emmy for best short-form series.
The second season is in post-production and estimated to be finalised for Q1-2023.
The first season, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, charted the story of transgender activist Caz Davis who returns to the remote, politically divided dairy community of Rūrangi, hoping to reconnect with his estranged father, who hasn’t heard from him since before Caz transitioned. In the second season, Rūrangi’s culture war intensifies between the transgender activists, farmers, and local Māori, while ancestors from the past reach out to the living with unfinished business.
Returning cast are Elz Carrad, Āwhina Rose Henare Ashby, Ramon Te Wake, Aroha Rawson, Renee Lyons, Renée Sheridan and new cast members include Cohen Holloway and Liam Coleman recasting...
The second season is in post-production and estimated to be finalised for Q1-2023.
The first season, which was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award, charted the story of transgender activist Caz Davis who returns to the remote, politically divided dairy community of Rūrangi, hoping to reconnect with his estranged father, who hasn’t heard from him since before Caz transitioned. In the second season, Rūrangi’s culture war intensifies between the transgender activists, farmers, and local Māori, while ancestors from the past reach out to the living with unfinished business.
Returning cast are Elz Carrad, Āwhina Rose Henare Ashby, Ramon Te Wake, Aroha Rawson, Renee Lyons, Renée Sheridan and new cast members include Cohen Holloway and Liam Coleman recasting...
- 12/6/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Peabody Award-winning narrative change collective, has picked up rights to the feature drama Learn to Swim for the U.S., the UK, Australia and New Zealand, slating it for release on select screens and on Netflix on August 15.
The first feature from director Thyrone Tommy dives into the world of contemporary jazz with a musical meditation on love and loss, following the doggedly private and talented saxophone player Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and a vivacious, but less experienced singer named Selma (Emma Ferreira). When the two meet, sparks fly, but their respective emotional baggage and temperaments make the road to romance bumpy at best.
An official selection of the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, Learn to Swim was written by Tommy and Marni Van Dyk, with Alona Metzer producing.
“With Array Releasing’s summer acquisition of Learn To Swim, we are thrilled to...
The first feature from director Thyrone Tommy dives into the world of contemporary jazz with a musical meditation on love and loss, following the doggedly private and talented saxophone player Dezi (Thomas Antony Olajide) and a vivacious, but less experienced singer named Selma (Emma Ferreira). When the two meet, sparks fly, but their respective emotional baggage and temperaments make the road to romance bumpy at best.
An official selection of the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, Learn to Swim was written by Tommy and Marni Van Dyk, with Alona Metzer producing.
“With Array Releasing’s summer acquisition of Learn To Swim, we are thrilled to...
- 8/2/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Arab Blues (Manele Labidi)
The original French-language title of Arab Bles is Un divan à Tunis, and true to the echo of Chantal Akerman’s psychotherapeutic meet-cute A Couch in New York, Manele Labidi’s debut feature is the frothy tale of an analyst coming to terms with her own sense of dislocation, while tending to the many seriocomic needs of her flock. In this case, the psychoanalyst is Selma (Golshifteh Farahani), who leaves Paris and returns to her family’s apartment building in Tunisia, where a neighbor looks at her poster of Sigmund Freud and asks her: Who is he, your father? – Mark A. (full review)
Where to Stream: Mubi (free for 30 days)
Cousins (Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith)
They...
Arab Blues (Manele Labidi)
The original French-language title of Arab Bles is Un divan à Tunis, and true to the echo of Chantal Akerman’s psychotherapeutic meet-cute A Couch in New York, Manele Labidi’s debut feature is the frothy tale of an analyst coming to terms with her own sense of dislocation, while tending to the many seriocomic needs of her flock. In this case, the psychoanalyst is Selma (Golshifteh Farahani), who leaves Paris and returns to her family’s apartment building in Tunisia, where a neighbor looks at her poster of Sigmund Freud and asks her: Who is he, your father? – Mark A. (full review)
Where to Stream: Mubi (free for 30 days)
Cousins (Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith)
They...
- 7/23/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
They only spent one summer together as children, but the connection they share from blood and heritage ultimately lasts a lifetime, whether they know it could or not. Makareta (Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels) promised young Mata (Te Raukura Gray) that she’d never give up looking for her—because even though they were together now, British laws had intervened to ensure that moment remained brief. It didn’t matter that Makareta, Missy (Keyahne Patrick Williams), and the rest of their Māori family wanted to keep her in their arms and raise her in the land where her mother now rested. Mata’s father had already given her to a woman in England only too willing to use her as a revenue stream upon graduating from a school for desolate children.
Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith’s (who adapted Patricia Grace’s renowned novel) Cousins is thus the decades-long journey...
Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith’s (who adapted Patricia Grace’s renowned novel) Cousins is thus the decades-long journey...
- 7/20/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
"Returns to your mountains..." Array has unveiled a new US trailer for a New Zealand film titled Cousins, which is soon getting an official Netflix release in the US this summer. Ava DuVernay's Array Releasing is proud to announce the debut of Cousins, directed by Ainsley Gardiner & Briar Grace-Smith. The film follows three Māori cousins—Mata, Missy and Makareta—who lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. The story entwines the very different lives of three Maori girls, cousins, through tumultuous decades, after one of them is taken from her family and raised in an orphanage. Cousins' ensemble cast includes Rachel House, Tanea Heke, co-director Briar Grace Smith, Ana Scotney, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Hariata Moriarty, Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels, Te Raukura Gray, and Keyahne Patrick-Williams. Cousins is based on the novel of the same name, that's written by one of New Zealand's most prominent and celebrated authors, Patricia Grace.
- 7/15/2021
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Based on the novel by celebrated New Zealand author Patricia Grace, “Cousins” tells the story of three women bound by ancestry and separated by time. The film was helmed by Māori filmmaking duo Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith and debuted at number one at New Zealand’s box office when it was released earlier this year. Gardiner is best known as producer on the early films by Taika Waititi, including his acclaimed directorial debut “Eagle vs Shark.” Both Gardiner and Grace-Smith directed segments of the critically beloved 2017 drama “Waru,” which was directed cooperatively.
Here’s the official synopsis: “‘Cousins’ follows three Māori cousins—Mata, Missy and Makareta—who lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. Orphaned Mata believes she has no whānau (family) and lives out her lonely childhood in fear and bewilderment. Back home on the land in New Zealand, driven and educated Makareta flees an arranged marriage...
Here’s the official synopsis: “‘Cousins’ follows three Māori cousins—Mata, Missy and Makareta—who lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. Orphaned Mata believes she has no whānau (family) and lives out her lonely childhood in fear and bewilderment. Back home on the land in New Zealand, driven and educated Makareta flees an arranged marriage...
- 7/15/2021
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Array Releasing, the distribution arm of Ava DuVernay’s Array collective, has picked up North America, UK and Ireland rights on the feature Cousins, helmed by Māori filmmaking duo Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith.
Pic debuted at No. 1 at the New Zealand box office when it was released earlier this year. It follows three Māori cousins—Mata, Missy and Makareta—who lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. Cast includes Rachel House (Moana), Tanea Heke (No .2), co-director Briar Grace Smith (Waru), Ana Scotney (The Breaker Upperers), Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne (Hunt For The Wilderpeople), Hariata Moriarty (Savage), Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels, Te Raukura Gray and Keyahne Patrick-Williams.
Array will release on July 2 in U.S. select theaters, while the pic will steam on Netflix beginning July 22.
The acquisition was negotiated by Gordon Bobb of Del, Shaw on behalf of Array, and Gardner and Grace-Smith on behalf of the film.
“Cousins is a beautiful story exploring identity,...
Pic debuted at No. 1 at the New Zealand box office when it was released earlier this year. It follows three Māori cousins—Mata, Missy and Makareta—who lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. Cast includes Rachel House (Moana), Tanea Heke (No .2), co-director Briar Grace Smith (Waru), Ana Scotney (The Breaker Upperers), Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne (Hunt For The Wilderpeople), Hariata Moriarty (Savage), Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels, Te Raukura Gray and Keyahne Patrick-Williams.
Array will release on July 2 in U.S. select theaters, while the pic will steam on Netflix beginning July 22.
The acquisition was negotiated by Gordon Bobb of Del, Shaw on behalf of Array, and Gardner and Grace-Smith on behalf of the film.
“Cousins is a beautiful story exploring identity,...
- 6/28/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival returns to London in September with the second part of this year’s programme with a focus on Southeast Asia (15-27 Sep), kindly supported by Purin Pictures, and a focus on New Zealand (29-30 Sep), kindly supported by the New Zealand High Commission.
Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival is a UK-wide film festival dedicated to screening some of the boldest, most daring, challenging, and striking films from the Asian and Pacific regions. The festival focuses particularly on underrepresented areas of cinema, and seeks to reframe the ‘idea’ of Asia through cinema, while also exploring cinema from the Pacific particularly in relation to its remoteness. Aperture is the only film festival in the UK to focus on the whole of the Asian continent as well as the Pacific region.
Forthcoming screenings:
Newcastle:
12 Sep: People Power Bombshell: The Diary Of Vietnam Rose (John Torres, Philippines) – Star and...
Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival is a UK-wide film festival dedicated to screening some of the boldest, most daring, challenging, and striking films from the Asian and Pacific regions. The festival focuses particularly on underrepresented areas of cinema, and seeks to reframe the ‘idea’ of Asia through cinema, while also exploring cinema from the Pacific particularly in relation to its remoteness. Aperture is the only film festival in the UK to focus on the whole of the Asian continent as well as the Pacific region.
Forthcoming screenings:
Newcastle:
12 Sep: People Power Bombshell: The Diary Of Vietnam Rose (John Torres, Philippines) – Star and...
- 9/5/2018
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Grace Beside Me..
Nitv has commissioned its first ever scripted live-action series, Grace Beside Me.
Adapted from the novel by Sue McPherson, the 13 x 26 series — pitched as .the story of an extraordinary girl trying to lead an ordinary life" — is produced by Magpie Pictures, with investment from Screen Australia.s Indigenous Department, Screen Queensland, the ABC, as well as assistance from Screen Nsw.
Aimed at 8-12 year olds, Grace Beside Me follows Fuzzy Mac, a 13-year-old who discovers she can see ghosts and spirits. However, all she wants to do is fit in, as it.s .hard enough navigating the highs and lows of becoming a teenager while living with your eccentric Nan and Pop, without also having to deal with needy ghosts, mischievous totems and cantankerous Ancestors..
Mac is said to have .one foot in the Indigenous realm of culture, Country — and spirits — and the other firmly planted in...
Nitv has commissioned its first ever scripted live-action series, Grace Beside Me.
Adapted from the novel by Sue McPherson, the 13 x 26 series — pitched as .the story of an extraordinary girl trying to lead an ordinary life" — is produced by Magpie Pictures, with investment from Screen Australia.s Indigenous Department, Screen Queensland, the ABC, as well as assistance from Screen Nsw.
Aimed at 8-12 year olds, Grace Beside Me follows Fuzzy Mac, a 13-year-old who discovers she can see ghosts and spirits. However, all she wants to do is fit in, as it.s .hard enough navigating the highs and lows of becoming a teenager while living with your eccentric Nan and Pop, without also having to deal with needy ghosts, mischievous totems and cantankerous Ancestors..
Mac is said to have .one foot in the Indigenous realm of culture, Country — and spirits — and the other firmly planted in...
- 1/17/2017
- by Staff Writer
- IF.com.au
The latest horror export from New Zealand is Danny Mulheron's new cannibal comedy horror 'Fresh Meat'. It is set to make its official premiere at this months Tribeca Film Festival on 23 April but you can catch it on VOD a whole week earlier kicking off on the 16 April. And to lead up to its Tribeca debut a new trailer and one-sheet have been released. Mulheron helms from a script co-written by Brad Abraham, Joseph O'Brien and Briar Grace Smith. Temuera Morrison, Nicola Kawana, Hanna Tevita, Kate Elliott, Jack Sergent-Shadbolt, Leand Macadaan, Ralph Hilaga, Kahn West, Will Robertson, James Ashcroft and Richard Knowles all star. Head below for the goods....
- 4/5/2013
- Horror Asylum
Don’t mess with a dysfunctional gang of criminals! In other words – the official trailer, some cool images and poster for Danny Mulheron‘s tasty horror comedy Fresh Meat have arrived! Click continue to meet outlaws on the run, a family taken hostage & the perfect place to hide. Hmm… not so fast! That “perfect” place is about to eat them… alive! Mulheron directed Fresh Meat from a script written by Briar Grace Smith, which revolves around a gang of criminals who take a middle class Maori family hostage only to discover that they are – cannibals! When a dysfunctional gang’s prison breakout goes violently wrong,...
Click to continue reading Watch: Official Trailer For A Tasty Horror Comedy Fresh Meat! on | FilmoFilia
Related posts: ‘Midnight Meat Train’ new movie – horror thriller Watch: Trailer For Family Weekend, Starring Kristin Chenoweth Deep Secrets, Shallow Grave: Official Trailer & Poster For Horror-Thriller Animosity! Watch:...
Click to continue reading Watch: Official Trailer For A Tasty Horror Comedy Fresh Meat! on | FilmoFilia
Related posts: ‘Midnight Meat Train’ new movie – horror thriller Watch: Trailer For Family Weekend, Starring Kristin Chenoweth Deep Secrets, Shallow Grave: Official Trailer & Poster For Horror-Thriller Animosity! Watch:...
- 4/5/2013
- by Jeanne Standal
- Filmofilia
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