Dr Walker-Morrison, whose specialist area is French film and translation, is an associate professor at the school of European languages and literature at Auckland University. She has written French subtitles for a number of New Zealand films, including White Lies and Mahana.
The passing of festival founder and former chairwoman Huia Kaporangi Koziol two years ago had deeply affected the festival, said Dr Walker-Morrison.
A time of reflection followed and now “Aunty Huia’s memory is honoured in the naming of the new trust, Kaporangi Kiriata”.
“Now we have new members on the board including Witi Ihimaera as patron and now board member, and there is renewed energy behind the festival.”
The new board was looking forward to having more involvement from the community, “and we are meeting with people, talking about what these roles could be”.
This year the festival will have a space-coast theme.”
Mr Koziol is hoping to have a replica of the humanity star from RocketLab.
They supported the concept of the star with its focus on peace, connectedness and unity or kotahitanga.
“These are strong themes running through the selection for this year’s festival, which include Maori and indigenous futurism and science fiction.”
New interest in the festival at Queen’s Birthday Weekend had come from people moving back to Wairoa.
Kahungunutanga is another theme, which Wairoa people told organisers they wanted to see more of at the festival, Mr Koziol said.
“So we are looking to produce a Kahungunutanga short film on a waiata with local ties at this year’s festival.”
He is keen to see what people can do with the Kahungunu waiata Tutira Mai Nga Iwi, composed by the late Canon Wi Huata in the middle of last century.
“But there is no filmed version that has been made by Kahungunu that we know of.”
Dr Walker-Morrison said having a community-made video of Tutira Mai Nga Iwi would be an amazing way to make the festival a focus for Wairoa.
While final selections are still under wraps, Dr Walker-Morrison said they were excited to be bringing to the festival the award-winning film Three Thousand by Inuit filmmaker, visual artist and writer Assinajaq.
The festival will also feature the New Zealand film Waru, currently on a New Zealand marae tour. The Kahungunu Marae viewing will be its eighth on the tour.
Mr Koziol said the directors and Waikaremoana film maker and actor Kararaina Rangihau had been invited to attend a panel discussion after the film showing.
A discussion on the wrap-around services in Wairoa for at-risk tamariki was also planned.
New awards are under discussion with the festival’s sponsors, including a rangatahi short video competition.
“We want to encourage rangatahi (youth) to become film makers so this year those under 25 years can submit a two-to-three minute video, picking a favourite Maori song, incorporating te reo Maori music.
“It should showcase the Wairoa rohe and must be filmed in the rohe.”
Scheduled for Queen’s Birthday weekend, festival film screenings will again be at Kahungunu Marae at Nuhaka, the Gaiety Theatre in Wairoa and at Morere on the final Sunday night.
