Taumata

Producer | 2018

“In 1995, my father kidnapped my cousins. Not once. But twice.” - Tamatea Kohu

Putting his marriage plans on hold, Samuel (Hamuera) Kohu makes the decision to abduct his nephews and nieces. What followed was an extensive family operation that saw the kids being hidden from authorities for weeks - all to keep them from their unsavoury step-mother.

What had started off as a return home for a brothers funeral had turned into an ordeal spanning months. One which lead to Hamuera discovering where he really came from.

Taumata is a 10 minute proof of concept for a longform documentary of the same name. The film was shot on location in New Zealand for a small budget.