transmediaclub | Rūrangi

Watch on YouTube

Rūrangi is a New Zealand film with the focus on being ‘by us and about us’. The project was originally a five episode TV show, but was was edited into a movie for international audiences. In the US, it's on Hulu. (Which I don't have, but might grab for a month just for this.) The film follows Caz as he returns to his rural village after transitioning.

From an interview with writer Cole Meyers:"So much of trans representation is filtered through or created by cis people’s understandings of our lives. Which means it’s a case of not seeing ourselves, or not seeing ourselves from the inside – of always seeing ourselves through other people’s eyes.

It’s really hard to recognise our truths or value our truths if we are constantly being told that the right way to be ‘ourselves’ is to be what other people want, to judge ourselves by what makes sense to other people."

Tweedie Waititi was brought in to consult on the Māori storylines.

A second season has been filmed and is currently in post-production.