Movies in the Pa at Te Puia

CANDID IMAGES: Rotorua film-maker Mike Jonathan has one of his productions showing at Te Puia to mark the centre's 50th anniversary. PHOTO/FILE

Movies in the Pa - celebrating the 50th anniversary of Te Puia - promised to be an unique family event with fine weather forecast for the outdoor screening.

A large outdoor screen has been erected on the marae atea - the open area in front of the main meeting house - to show seven short films, along with Vine videos made in Te Whakarewarewa Valley by local school students, for the premiere opening tomorrow night.

Movies in the Pa is one in a series of events to celebrate 50 years of Te Puia which was set up by parliament as the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in 1926.

Parliament extended legislation in 1963 to include both cultural and tourism interests at Whakarewarewa.

The film list tomorrow night included both this year's Tribeca Film Festival entry Whakatiki, and the Berlin International Film Festival entry Snow in Paradise.

Short films to screen include The Lawnmower Men of Kapu, winner of the 2012 People's Choice Award at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival, and Hawaikii, directed by Mike Jonathan, of Rotorua production company Haka Boy Films.

The films, which ranged between eight to 15 minutes duration each, have been sourced from Nga Whanaunga Maori Pasifika Shorts, and curated by Leo Koziol, of Wairoa Maori Film Festival, in co-operation from the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Te Puia general manager sales and marketing Kiri Atkinson-Crean said the Movies in the Pa screening would be "a special outdoor event" that will be enjoyed by young and old.

"Movies in the Pa showcases the talents of local and national filmmakers and our young people, and the heritage of our valley," she said. "It is also a unique way for people to join with us to celebrate our fiftieth anniversary celebrations. The event has been created with families in mind."

DETAILS
WHAT: Movies in the Pa - celebrating 50 years of Te Puia.
WHEN: Tomorrow night from 6.30pm (Movies begin 8pm)
WHERE: Te Puia marae atea and wharenui
COST: Adult $15, seniors and children (under 18) $8, family (two adult, two children) $42.