Once Were Warriors

Once Were Warriors follows the Heke family in urban Auckland, torn between their proud Maori heritage and a brutal cycle of poverty and domestic abuse. Beth fights to hold her family together while her charismatic but violent husband Jake spirals deeper into alcoholism and rage. The film is a raw, unflinching examination of cultural displacement, resilience, and the devastating consequences of unchecked violence.

• The film was shot in just six weeks on a tight budget.
• Rena Owen wore a fat suit to portray Beth realistically.
• The movie sparked national conversation about domestic violence in New Zealand.
• Lee Tamahori directed the film as his feature debut.
• The film is based on Alan Duff's controversial 1990 novel.

• We are not of the earth, Beth. We are of the stars.
• I'm the warrior here, not you.
• Nobody's gonna help us, Nig. We gotta help ourselves.
• He's got mana, that man. You know what mana is? It's pride.
• I choose to leave you, Jake. I'm taking my kids and I'm leaving.