Ka Whawhai Tonu – Struggle without End
It’s 1864 and against impossible odds, the Māori in the Waikato region valiantly face an army of colonial settlers to fight for their lands and people. Haki is a half-Māori and half-European teenager fighting on the side of the New Zealand military and taken prisoner by the Māori resistance. He befriends Kopu, a Māori girl who is imprisoned in her own right as she is believed to be the vessel for manifesting a Māori god of war, used for guidance as a resistance tactic in her people’s battle for sovereignty. Haki and Kopu find themselves caught between many concurrent battles of identity politics, physical and spiritual warfare, and friends and enemies, as they both discover there is no escape without a fight.Mike Jonathan’s feature debut is a historical war epic that awakens the spirit of resistance and the fight for survival.Michael Jonathan is an award-winning Māori filmmaker from Aotearoa (New Zealand) known for his commitment to telling Indigenous stories with authenticity and heart. With a career spanning directing, producing, cinematography, and editing, Mike has crafted compelling narratives that honour the voices and histories of Māori communities. Available in-person only.
Tickets for screenings on TD Free Friday (taking place Friday, June 6) cannot be purchased or booked in advance and will only be available on Friday, June 6 at the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office. There is a limit of two tickets per person. Miigwetch, nia:wen, thank you to TD Bank for supporting TD Free Fridays!
HST REBATE: Status card holders are eligible to claim a rebate of the 8% Ontario portion of HST paid on qualifying goods and services. Please contact boxoffice@imagineNATIVE.org if you wish to use your Status card to purchase packages or tickets online. You can also visit the on-site imagineNATIVE Box Office during the in-person Festival and present your Status card when purchasing in-person tickets.