Ata Pūao

Allie and Angel, two emerging takatāpui filmmakers from the Tāmaki Makaurau ballroom scene, are collaborating with Day One - Hāpai te Haeata to bring this untold story to the screen...

The new tāhine in town, Hiwa, is out celebrating her 21st. But when her safety is compromised she questions old friendships and finds a revived sense of belonging in the big city.

‘Ata Pūao’ is a tender narrative that reflects the long-standing, nurturing relationship between trans elders and young tāhine establishing themselves in our urban cities. It comes from authentic lived experiences, balancing both the beauty and harsh realities of te ao tāhine (the Māori trans world).

Help us make our dream a reality!

Writer & Director: Allie Howell (Waitaha, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Pākehā)
Producer: Angel Kameta (Te Arawa, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui)
Mentor: Ramon Te Wake (Ngā Puhi, Te Rarawa)

Angel and Allie are both children of the Aotearoa Ballroom scene and have spent most of their lives moving towards the screen and entertainment industry. Allie has edited 'Speak No Māori', 'Va'a Voyagers' and more, while Angel has acted in 'Motherhood' and most recently on 'Shortland Street'. 

"This film is an opportunity for us to now take the lead, highlighting an important narrative that's close to our hearts and showing the beauty in the communities we come from."

However, we will not be embarking on this journey alone. We are collaborating with a range of ballroom, takatāpui, MVPFAFF+ and QTPOC creatives to either lead departments or learn with industry professionals, generating a space for everyone to collaborate safely, share knowledge and upskill.

We are mentored by Ramon Te Wake, the creator of 'The Boy, the Queen and Everything in Between'. She is a pioneer in Māori, takatāpui and tāhine cinema, and we're so excited to have her guidance along this journey!

"This pūtea would contribute to properly compensating our talented, largely-QTPOC, cast & crew, who otherwise will be working at highly reduced rates. Any additional funding will go towards location costs, soundtrack fees and developing a marketing campaign"

We are asking for $7000 to boost our production crew and enable us to create quality content. 

Any donation, from $5 to $100, helps us to give this narrative and our crew, the quality production it deserves.

Full disclosure: Angel and Allie will not be paid for their contributions to this short film, as our priority is to secure funding for our production crew and set resources, in the hopes of producing the best film possible.

"Ata Pūao deliberately humanises the tāhine experience and delves deeper than the camp stereotypes of the comedy genre we are often boxed into, revealing a vulnerable, unapologetically emotional and ultimately uplifting portrayal"

The script touches on many internal, societal and relationship conflicts common to the trans girls in our community. In a wider sense it also speaks to the universal experience after high school when many young adults (particularly QTPOC) find affirmation and their sense of belonging outside of the friendships and hometowns of their youth. 

This is reflected in the title ‘Ata Pūao’; the glimmer in the sky before the sun emerges on the eastern horizon; the promise of a new dawn.

Uplifting Authentic Stories

We think it’s important to show Aotearoa the beauty in our QTPOC community and how we support, affirm and uplift one another, particularly when both Māori and trans people are being re-villianised in public discourse. Tāhine sit at the intersection of these identities, but are often ignored or reduced to comedic, traumatic, or negative stereotypes.

This short film combats these negative tropes, instead showing a warm and caring side to our community that deliberately humanises the tāhine experience and acknowledges the role of older tāhine in guiding and taking care of the younger trans girls in Aotearoa; a decades-old cycle that still continues today.

Supporting QTPOC Creatives

This kaupapa is an investment for the crew as much as the audience, with QTPOC creatives taking lead and assistant roles on this production. This funding is another catalyst for the careers of many of our talented creatives, enabling us to continue displaying the raw talent and beautiful narratives of our community.

 
Accessible Filmmaking

‘Ata Pūao’ will be released on Youtube, free to watch, meaning its impact will not be limited to ticket sales and subscriptions.  The film will be released with captions available for our whānau turi.