Waru has raw power Waru (M)
86 mins ★★★★★
Waru is a remarkable New Zealand film of the highest quality and most profound impact – and all the more remarkable because there is not just one main reason for this, but three. First, its troubling narrative revolves around a raw and devastating topic: the death of a child at the hands of his caregiver. Specifically set in the context of the child’s tangi, the narrative is woven from eight scenes, each shot as a 10-minute short film with distinct characters, all of whom are in some way affected by the tragedy. Add to this that each sequence consists of one perfectly choreographed take, and the viewer is readily immersed in these individual stories of pain.
And, finally, the most impressive aspect of Waru is that it is a collaboration between eight Ma¯ori women directors, who workshopped and wrote the sequence for which they would take control. What emerges is a fluid portrait of a community grappling with the ripples of tragedy.
There is much to applaud, but as well as having eight talented women directors in New Zealand feeling (unfortunately) like kind of a big deal, it is imperative to acknowledge the importance of tangata whenua in this story. Not because child abuse is a ‘‘Ma¯ori problem’’, but because the nature of wha¯nau (as in ‘‘community’’ rather than our Pa¯keha¯ definition of ‘‘nuclear family’’) lies at the heart of Waru – and our whole community suffers when one of our children dies.
The eight scenes differ greatly in style and tone, but the performances are almost universally stunning – all the more so when you consider the actors don’t have the benefit of short takes and edited reaction shots, but are in effect performing a piece of theatre, often with incredibly intricate movement, while conveying an enormous depth of feeling. The camera therefore swoops and surrounds, as the characters carry on so intently and obliviously you feel you’re right there with them.
And despite the context, it’s not relentlessly grim. There are laughs (albeit more of outrage) as a TV presenter speaks her mind; two plucky sisters decide to take a stand; and the viewers’ (and characters’) judgments are overturned as the well-written scripts repeatedly demonstrate the flaws and beauty of human nature.
Even if some scenes resonate less than others, the overall impact of Waru is stunning and it is impossible not to be moved and impressed in equal measure.
A reviewer’s work is such we seldom get the luxury of time to watch a film more than once, but Waru is one I’ll be revisiting as soon as I can. – Sarah Watt