Matariki

ABOUT THE CAST

Jason Wu plays Aleki

18-year old Jason grew up in Samoa and South Auckland. Matariki is his first feature film. To play young car thief Aleki, Jason had to learn a number of skills not included on the drama school curriculum including hot-wiring, house-breaking and jumping off Mangere Bridge at 3 in the morning.

Susana Tang plays Spit

High School student Susana is of Chinese/Vietnamese descent. With no previous acting experience, Susana gives a stunning debut performance as an impulsive runaway schoolgirl with a most unusual name – “My friends call me Spit. They reckon all Asians spit everywhere. They’re such dicks”.

Sara Wiseman plays Megan

Sara is a multi-award-winning icon of New Zealand screen and stage. To prep for her role as policewoman Megan, former stuntwoman Sara spent time on the beat on the mean streets with a South Auckland female detective – an experience that made her realise there’s career choices out there even scarier than acting.

Iaheto Ah Hi plays Tyrone

Iaheto is an actor, dancer, writer and director. In Matariki, Aleki’s story is based on Tautai, a play about Iaheto’s car thief cousin which he wrote and performed. Known for his role as Stanley in Sione’s Wedding, Iaheto preparations for the role of Tyrone included long hours on the court with one of Auckland’s best male netball teams.

Alix Bushnell plays Lisa

Familiar to audiences from television series Go Girls, Alix plays 8 month-pregnant Lisa. To get into character, Alix spent most of pre-production wearing her prosthetic pregnancy bump wherever she went, resulting in many uncomfortable encounters with relatives and friends in supermarkets and bars.

Jarod Rawiri plays Rick

Respected film and theatre performer Jarod starred in director Michael Bennett’s award-winning short film Kerosene Creek. Jarod plays Rick, the grieving brother of Mark Ruka’s character Tama. The two actors went through drama school together, and the closeness of their off-screen bond informs their role as on-screen brothers

Edwin Wright plays Gunge

Known for his intense theatre performances, Edwin plays Gunge – a gentle man driven to the brink when he loses his best friend, a 9 year-old Staffy Bull Terrier. Edwin designed all his own tattoos for the film and insisted on riding his motorbike to set every night, giving the production and the insurers constant nightmares.

Michael Whalley plays Jermaine

To prepare for his role as Jermaine, rising star Michael spent time with recovering drug addicts in rehab institutions. In his first feature film role Michael is run over by a car, attacked by a man in a netball skirt and nearly has his nose broken. Michael hopes his next film will involve less injuries.

Mark Ruka plays Tama

Mark’s feature film credits include River Queen, The World’s Fastest Indian and No 2. As assaulted league star Tama, Mark has fewer than a dozen lines of dialogue, but the silent dignity of his onscreen presence shines through the film.

Vela Manusaute plays Russ

Of Kila Kokonut Krew fame, South Auckland legend Vela plays violent hard-man Russ. Known for his confronting comedy turns, Vela’s explosive performance in Matariki will leave no-one laughing.

Mabel Wharekawa plays Auntie Rachel

A respected elder of Maori cinema, Auntie Mabel has featured in some of our most important films including Whale Rider and In My Father’s Den.

Harley plays Baby the Dog

Trained by Animals on Q, Harley plays Baby the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. A natural method performer, for his first onscreen performance Harley immersed himself in the techniques of fetching, urinating on cue and playing dead.

CREW

Director/Writer: Michael Bennett

Michael loves filmmaking and marathon running, and feels that both pursuits involve a remarkably similar mix of mad obsession, ecstacy and agony. Michael is Māori, of Te Arawa descent, and is possibly one of the few people to have both had a movie in the New York Film Festival and run the New York Marathon.

Writer: Gavin Strawhan

With an extensive writing career that has taken him all over the world, Gavin is an ex-Aussie who has happily settled in New Zealand. Gavin was script consultant on classic New Zealand film Whale Rider, and has several feature film scripts in development.

Producer: Fiona Copland

Fiona’s first film Topless Women Talk About Their Lives won eleven New Zealand film awards and her 2009 film The Strength of Water premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. Fiona and Gavin live next door to each other, allowing impromptu script feedback sessions while putting out the recycling in the mornings.

Alun Bollinger: Director of Photography

AlBol is a legend of New Zealand cinema who has worked with Jane Campion, Peter Jackson and Vincent Ward. He was awarded a New Zealand Arts Foundation Laureate for outstanding lifetime artistry in cinematography and is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Composer: Don McGlashan

Don forms a significant chapter of NZ music history with his bands Blam Blam Blam, From Scratch and The Mutton Birds. His film compositions include Jane Campion’s An Angel at My Table and Toa Fraser’s No.2 and Dean Spanley.

Editor: John Gilbert

John Gilbert was nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA for his work on Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring and won NZ Film Awards for The World’s Fastest Indian and Via Satellite. He edited Michael Bennett’s award-winning short film Kerosene Creek.

Production Designer: Miro Harre

Miro is part of the celebrated Harre film family who could pretty much fully crew a feature film on their own. Miro’s production design credits include the groundbreaking series Mataku – “the Māori Twilight Zone“.

Costume Designer: Jane Holland

Jane has costume designed numerous New Zealand and international feature films including 30 Days of Night, World’s Fastest Indian and Sione’s Wedding. Jane and partner director Michael Bennett have three gorgeous children who all appear in Matariki.