THE DEAD LANDS

After his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery, Hongi, a Maori chieftain’s teenage son, must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honor to the souls of his loved ones. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains, Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden Dead Lands and forge an uneasy alliance with the mysterious “Warrior”, a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.

The Dead Lands gives a truly unique and (lucky for us) deliciously violent look on Maori culture long before Captain Cook started to put his meddlesome big nose in the affairs of the fiercely tattooed warriors from what was to become New Zealand. It’s the first film to highlight Mau Rakau, the traditional Maori martial art fighting style. Our young protagonist will learn the hard way how violence, vengeance, leadership and social standing are intertwined in this unique, epic and visually impressive film.