
Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
2016

2019
Director
Hepi Mita
Runtime
88 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
This film is an intimate portrayal of pioneering filmmaker Merata Mita told through the eyes of her children. Using hours of archive footage, some never before seen, her youngest child and director Hepi Mita discovers the filmmaker he never knew and shares the mother he lost, with the world.
Overall Score
Excellent
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The documentary focuses on the intersections of Indigeneity and gender. There is no explicit evidence of non-cisnormative identities or queer-coded subtext within the narrative.
Gender Representation
Merata Mita is presented as a figure of immense professional authority. The film highlights her ability to disrupt male-dominated industries and subvert traditional gender hierarchies.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
This film is a profound exploration of Māori agency. It advocates for the restructuring of media power dynamics and prioritizes Indigenous voices over Western traditions.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The narrative engages deeply with post-colonial critique and cultural sovereignty. It challenges Western-centric structures by promoting Indigenous-led epistemologies and reclaiming identity through art.
Disability Representation
There is no significant evidence regarding the portrayal of physical or neurodivergent disabilities in this archival-focused work.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Merata: How Mum Decolonised the Screen is a powerful study of systemic reclamation. It succeeds by moving beyond mere inclusion, instead centering the entire cinematic experience on the deconstruction of colonial power structures and the assertion of Māori agency. The film excels in its portrayal of gender and race, framing Merata Mita as a visionary leader who challenged the hegemony of Western cinematic traditions. It effectively subverts professional hierarchies by presenting her as an intellectual force. While the film is a masterclass in cultural sovereignty, it lacks explicit focus on LGBTQ+ identities or disability representation. However, its primary mission of decolonizing the screen remains profoundly intact.

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