Directed by Isaac Lee, April Phillips

Starring Tukairangi Maxwell, Mark Hadlow, Fredrick Pokai, Shania Bailey-Edmonds, Des Morgan

1978 is a comedy-drama, coming-of-age, family movie. We follow the footsteps of the Ropata family in a rural Aotearoa New Zealand community and the struggles of each family member in the tumultuous year of 1978. Our heroes are fighting for two causes – one set against the backdrop of the true, historic New Zealand Māori land protests, and the other against the landscape of a rural community fighting against closures that are forcing people to move to bigger cities. Nine children battle to save their country school at an inter-school sports competition with comedic schemes reminiscent of cunning kids in films like Home Alone or The Little Rascals. The story contains the coming-of-age adventures of films like Stand By Me and The Goonies. Simultaneously, two older brothers grapple with their conflicting beliefs around the fight for their ancestral lands in a brotherhood conflict akin to movies like Backdraft and East of Eden. 1978 delivers two powerful and parallel intergenerational stories that carry the same universal message of community, belonging and standing up for what you believe in.

30% of the ticket sales will be going support the wonderful local Kapa Haka group Te Hau-ā-Uru with the screening just 2 weeks before their on stage performence here at Hokitika’s Regent Theatre.
Come along and bring family and friends to support Kiwi film making, local Kapa Haka and the Theatre in one easy swoop