Produced by Reikura Morgan-Kahi and directed by her husband Te Arepa, the duo describes Muru as a story that weaves the deep past and the recent present together, rather than a recreation of one historic day.
The cast includes some heavy-hitters of the country's acting pool, including Cliff Curtis, Jay Ryan and Troy Kingi. Nevertheless, that did not dissuade Jonathan from making her acting debut in the film; and all in te reo Māori, no less.
"I was a bit worried about my acting skills but a lot of people have helped me out like Hori Ahipene. He really helped me to grasp my character," she says.
Jonathan and her husband are no newbies to the industry. Mike Jonathan is the founder and owner of Haka Boy Films and has been a cameraman/director for almost three decades, winning many awards, and family is what began Cinzia's journey learning the Māori language.
"The reason I pursued te reo Māori was to fulfill my promise to my mother-in-law to learn te reo Māori. I also wanted to broaden my knowledge of the Māori culture. The best way to immerse yourself into the Māori culture is by speaking te reo Māori."
