The upcoming Warner Bros. Discovery series Tangata Pai, which center indigenous Maori language and stories, recently began production.
The limited-series drama will feature the stories of five people whose worlds collide in the aftermath of a bombing of a peaceful Maori protest against the license to mine a sacred site. According to Variety, Tangata Pai will be the first primetime series in which 30% of the language will be in Maori.
“This flagship series exemplifies our commitment to bold, innovative storytelling,” said Warner Bros. Disvcovery ANZ’s senior director Matt Barthow said to Variety. “By showcasing the rich diversity and resilient spirit of Aotearoa, ‘Tangata Pai’ embodies our vision for compelling, locally-driven content.”
Tangata Pai‘s cast will include Nicola Kāwana (The Man Who Lost His Head, Shortland Street), Shavaughn Ruakere (My Life is Murder, The Legend of Baron To’a), Jayden Daniels (Evil Dead Rise, Whina), Ariāna Osborne (Seen, Madam), and Yoson An (Creamerie, Plane).
Kiel McNaughton serves as its creator, showrunner and director. The series is created in partnership with Ngāti Te Whiti and Te Atiawa, the indigenous people of New Plymouth and Taranaki, via a group of tribal experts, Te Mangai Paho (Maori promotion body), and NZ On Air.
Tangata Pai will be shot over six weeks from October to November in New Plymouth and Auckland. The show, once completed, will air on New Zealand’s Three and Three Now channels.
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