You are here:

Mahana

Name: Mahana
Director: Lee Tamahori
Released: 2016
Duration: 103 min

Representation Score

4.3/10

Fair

2016

Director

Lee Tamahori

Runtime

103 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Mahana is a powerful work of cultural reclamation that centers an indigenous worldview. By focusing on Māori sheep-shearing families in the 1960s, the film disrupts Western cinematic norms and prioritizes indigenous ability to act and connection to the land. While the film excels in ethnic authenticity, it remains rooted in traditional social structures. The narrative does not engage with contemporary explorations of gender identity or LGBTQ+ themes, focusing instead on lineage and communal friction. Ultimately, the film succeeds by treating the Māori experience as the central driver of the story rather than a peripheral element, offering a sophisticated look at post-colonial identity.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Mahana have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The story focuses on traditional romantic pairings and the preservation of family lineage. There are no queer narratives or non-cisgender identities present in the plot.

How does Mahana portray gender?

Fair

Female characters play important roles within the family unit, influencing domestic and emotional cohesion. The film portrays nuanced communal roles within a mid-century rural setting.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Mahana?

Excellent

The film centers a predominantly Māori cast and focuses on indigenous sheep-shearing families. It prioritizes Māori heritage and the land over an Anglo-centric perspective.

How does Mahana represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The narrative explores cultural evolution through the tension between traditionalists and younger generations. It presents a complex, localized view of ancestral heritage and communal obligations.

Does Mahana include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities that serve as central narrative drivers.

Present on Screen

Exceptional commitment to Māori ability to act and indigenous heritage.
Disrupts Anglo-centric perspectives by centering an indigenous worldview.
Nuanced portrayal of female characters within the family and community structure.
Sophisticated exploration of the tension between tradition and modernity.

Limited or Absent

Lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities or queer narratives.
Absence of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities.
Reliance on traditional mid-century social and gender structures.

Official Synopsis

1960s, East Coast of New Zealand. Two Māori sheep-shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas, are longstanding enemies and commercial rivals. 14-year-old Simeon Mahana, the youngest son of the youngest son is in conflict with his traditionalist grandfather, Tamihana. As Simeon unravels the truth behind the longstanding family vendetta he risks not just his own future prospects but the cohesion of the entire tight-knit society.

How are these scores produced? →