National Geographic At Wairoa Maori Film Festival

National Geographic All Roads Invitational Programme At Wairoa Maori Film Festival

The organisers of the Wairoa Maori Film Festival 2005 are proud to announce the National Geographic All Roads Film Project invitational programme, to be presented at the Wairoa Maori Film Festival, June 2nd to 6th 2005.

"We are excited and honoured to have National Geographic as a partner to our festival," said Maori Film Festival Director Leo Koziol. "They will be in attendance at our festival, and will bring an international indigenous programme, along with the film-makers themselves."

National Geographic staff members Mark Bauman and Sarah Laskin are planning to attend the Wairoa Maori Film Festival. Mark Bauman is Director of Arts Media for National Geographic. He conceived and launched the All Roads Film Festival, which highlights the work of indigenous and minority culture filmmakers and artists from around the world.

The invited indigenous film makers are from across North America: Vincent Blackhawk Ammodt (USA), Roberto Olivares (Mexico), Simon James and Chris Kientz (Canada).

Films to be presented as part of the National Geographic All Roads Film Project invitational include:

Estos Delores Somos (These Sorrows We Are), Roberto Olivares, Mexico, 2002 Structured with fragments of speeches and photos from the 2001 Zapatista caravan, this moving film commemorates the event using a poetic theme and raises awareness to the problems of the indigenous communities of Mexico.

Raven Tales, Simon James, Chris Kientz, Animation Follows the humorous misadventures of Raven and his friends at the beginnng of the world. It is the first computer animated film based on Northwest Coast Aboriginal tales and the first such film to be produced by an all Aboriginal team.

The Ghost Riders, Vincent Blackhawk Aamodt, Documentary, 2003 The youth of the Lakota Sioux Nation honor their ancestors—over 300 Lakota Sioux who were massacred at Wounded Knee—with a physically and emotionally toiling journey that will begin to mend the sacred hoop.

"We are excited that National Geographic All Roads will be bringing such a dynamic programme of indigenous North American film to the Wairoa festival," said Mr. Koziol. "It adds a unique global energy to the excitement of our Maori film festival."

Supporters of the Wairoa Maori Film Festival include the National Geographic All Roads Film Project, the New Zealand Ministry of Economic Development, New Zealand Film Commission, Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi, and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise.

The Wairoa Maori Film Festival is to be held in Wairoa, Aotearoa New Zealand, from June 2nd to 6th 2005.

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