Whina

"The mother of the nation."

2022 1h 52m EN

🙌

7.6

BANGER

★7.6TMDB · 5

DramaHistory

Synopsis

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The story of Dame Whina Cooper, the beloved Māori matriarch who worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women. Flawed yet resilient, Whina tells the story of a woman formed by tradition, compelled by innovation, and guided by an instinct for equality and justice whose legacy as the Te Whaea o te Motu (Mother of the Nation) was an inspiration to an entire country.

“The mother of the nation.”

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Cast

Rena Owen
Older Whina Cooper
James Rolleston
Gabriel
Wayne Hapi
Heremia Te Wake
Erroll Shand
Father Mulder
Vinnie Bennett
William Cooper
Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne
Teenage Whina Cooper
Jayden Daniels
Cyril
Miriama McDowell
Younger Whina Cooper

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Napier Robertson
Writers: James Lucas, James Napier Robertson, Paula Whetu Jones
Languages: English, Maori
Countries: New Zealand

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 4 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Maori.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by James Napier Robertson, shot by Leon Narbey. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Dana Lund. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John Gilbert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Rena Owen and James Rolleston and Wayne Hapi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The mother of the nation.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt6826120 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Napier Robertson directs. Leon Narbey behind the camera. Dana Lund scores. John Gilbert cuts. Produced in New Zealand. Dialogue in English, Maori.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 4 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Maori.
3Directed by James Napier Robertson, shot by Leon Narbey. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Dana Lund. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor John Gilbert shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Rena Owen and James Rolleston and Wayne Hapi carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The mother of the nation.".
8IMDB entry: tt6826120 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 5 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.