Mārama (film)
A Māori-inflected gothic horror set in Yorkshire.
Mārama is a New Zealand gothic horror film, the first feature written and directed by Taratoa Stappard. The story follows orphan Mary Stevens, who goes by Mārama. After a mysterious stranger writes to her claiming to know about her parents, she travels to Yorkshire, England, to investigate her whakapapa. At Hawkser Manor, she is warmly greeted by Nathanial Cole, who offers her a job as governess to his granddaughter Ann. But something about the house feels wrong.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Taratoa Stappard
- Producer
- Sharlene George / Rickylee Russell-Waipuka / Rouzie Hassanova
- Starring
- Ariāna Osborne / Umi Myers / Evelyn Towersey / Errol Shand / Jordan Mooney / Mihi Te Rauhi Daniels / Turia Schmidt Peke / Toby Stephens
- Music
- Karl Sölve Steven / Rob Thorne
- Cinematography
- Gin Loane
- Editing
- Dan Kircher
- Studio
- Sweetshop Entertainment
- Distributor
- Vendetta Films
- Released
- 5 September 2025 · TIFF · 2026 · 02 · 12 · New Zealand
- Runtime
- 89 minutes
- Country
- New Zealand
- Language
- English / Māori
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film follows orphan Mary Stevens, who travels to Yorkshire, England after receiving a letter from a mysterious stranger claiming to have information about her parents. Upon arriving at Hawkser Manor, she is met by Nathanial Cole, who offers her a position as governess for his granddaughter Ann, but the house does not feel right.
Reader's Guide
Mārama is notable as the directorial debut of Taratoa Stappard and for its integration of Māori culture and language into the gothic horror genre. The film was developed with support from Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga (New Zealand Film Commission), imagineNATIVE, the Black List, Toronto International Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, and the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Principal photography took place in late 2024 in Auckland and the Otago region. The film received a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 49 critics, with the consensus noting it is 'thoughtfully informed by Māori culture and the legacy of colonialism.'
Did You Know?
- The film was written and directed by Taratoa Stappard in his directorial debut.
- As of 2025, no verifiable record of this film's production, release, or festival appearances exists in widely-known canon.
- No principal photography has been documented for this film.
- Letterboxd does not operate a video store rental service, so any claim of exclusive rental there is unsubstantiated.
More in New Zealand horror films 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced