ĀTAAHUA

ĀTAAHUA is a 12-minute psychological horror about loneliness, identity, and the power of connection.
 

Inside a quiet local art gallery, a young man begins to lose his grip on reality, haunted by nightmares that blur the line between dream and waking life.

A semi-autobiographical story examining takatāpui and mental health, ĀTAAHUA pushes the boundaries of traditional filmmaking, celebrating community and showing the importance of whanaungatanga in an ever hectic world.

ĀTAAHUA is being brought to you by a crew of talented filmmakers and creatives based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Well-versed in their craft and ready to push the limits of traditional filmmaking, our team is prepared to bring all they have to make ĀTAAHUA a reality.
 

WRITER/DIRECTOR - WAKA WIKAIRE-JAMES

Native Eye, I Was Dreaming of The Past, For My Brother

PRODUCER - SOPHIE HAMPSON

Washed Up, Ruru, Speed Dating

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY - MATEUSZ MENDRUN

Washed Up, Speed Dating, My Years of Fear and Trembling, If Looks Could Kill

Boosted is an ALL OR NOTHING platform. If we don’t meet our target we don’t receive any of the funds! 

Every dollar counts and we need your support to raise $5,000 to bring this project to life.
 

HOW YOU’LL BE HELPING:

Donating to our Boosted Campaign will mean that you will be helping bring ĀTAAHUA to life.

Your support will allow us to:

• Give koha to our incredible talent and crew
• Provide healthy kai for all people on set
• Give back to local artists supplying beautiful art for the production
• Shoot at Toi Poneke, memorialising the current space before their upcoming move
• Cover equipment and transport costs
• Film festival entry costs 

At its heart, ĀTAAHUA is a story about connection and what happens when familial and cultural bonds begin to fray, especially for takatāpui in New Zealand. We want to explore the realm of the mind, how social exclusion leads to internalisation and fear of being yourself. It also touches on cultural maemae (trauma) that lingers for many Māori navigating a constantly changing world. 

We’re drawing on personal experiences to guide how we work, not just what we make. Through manaakitanga, we’re developing a filmmaking process that values collaboration, honesty, and vulnerability. 

With ĀTAAHUA, we’re creating space for rangatahi artists to explore where they come from, who they are, and who they’re becoming.

When you donate to ĀTAAHUA, you’re doing more than funding a film, you’re helping build a space for community, healing, and representation.

Your support will have an immediate impact on our cast, crew, and the Toi Pōneke arts community, empowering local creatives to tell their own stories.

Beyond that, ĀTAAHUA will spark kōrero around mental health, queer identity, and belonging and we want this film to not only be shown at festival screenings but also in art galleries and online spaces throughout Aotearoa and beyond.