🎬 Rūrangi

🎬 Rūrangi is the painful yet healing process of reconciliation. Caz Davis (Elz Carrad), a transgender activist living in Auckland, returns to his remote, conservative dairy-farming hometown of Rūrangi for the first time since his transition. He hasn't seen his father, Gerald, in ten years—not since his mother’s funeral.

The atmosphere is earthy, intimate, and raw. The film contrasts the lush, green beauty of the New Zealand landscape with the jagged, awkward tension of a family trying to find a new vocabulary for love. The viewer feels Caz’s defensive exhaustion and his father’s stagnant grief as they collide in a house filled with memories of someone who no longer exists. It is a story about identity and heritage; it beautifully weaves together the trans experience with the Māori concept of whakapapa (lineage/connection to the land). Emotionally, it moves from the sharp sting of rejection to the warm, quiet hope of being understood, emphasizing that transition is a journey not just for the individual, but for the entire community.

Did you know? (Czy wiesz, że...)
Authenticity First: The production took extreme care to be "trans-positive" behind the scenes. Over 50% of the cast and crew identified as gender-diverse, and the lead role went to Elz Carrad, a trans man making his acting debut.

Cultural Fusion: The film explores the intersection of trans identity and Māori culture, showing how traditional indigenous perspectives can sometimes offer a more fluid understanding of gender than Western colonial frameworks.

From Web to Global Screen: Originally released as a five-part web series in New Zealand, the story was so impactful that it was re-cut into a feature film for international film festivals and acquired by Hulu and other major streamers.

The Power of Te Reo: The use of the Māori language (Te Reo) is central to the film’s theme of "finding one’s roots," symbolizing the character's return to both his cultural and personal truth.