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Mārama

Play trailer Poster for Mārama In Theaters Apr 17 1h 29m Horror Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 13 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Verified Ratings
1859, North Yorkshire. When young Māori woman Mary arrives from New Zealand, she's trapped as governess to a wealthy whaler's granddaughter. Living among her ancestors' stolen artifacts, she uncovers Sir Cole's horrific crimes. Embracing her Matakite powers, Mary becomes Mārama and must save Anne and avenge her family by destroying him.
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Cast & Crew

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Taratoa Stappard

Director

Ariāna Osborne

Mary

Toby Stephens

Nathaniel Cole

Umi Myers

Peggy

Evelyn Towersey

Anne

Erroll Shand

Jack Fenton

Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Screen International Oct 2
Exposition revealing the grim truth about Nathaniel’s link to Mary and her family can feel a little blunt at times, and the flow of the story is uneven. But there are moments of shocking potency. Go to Full Review Brian Tallerico RogerEbert.com Sep 24
Stappard has a strong sense of the genre, refining an atmosphere of dread instead of relying on jump scares or loud noises. Go to Full Review Molly Henery The Blogging Banshee Nov 8
9.5/10
Mārama is a cinematic masterpiece, using gothic horror to tell a breathtaking, heart-wrenching tale of self-discovery and retribution. Go to Full Review Joe Lipsett The Queer Gaze (Podcast) Oct 21
3/5
As a Gothic mystery, this is pretty straightforward and easy to figure out. What elevates the film is Ariāna Osborne's outstanding performance, the centering of Māori rage and the tastelessness of British racism. All of those elements feel fresh and raw Go to Full Review Guillem Martinez Oya Cinematismo Oct 20
4/5
A gothic tale about the alienation produced by the colonization. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Audrey Fox Audrey Fox Reviews Oct 8
A vicious, unflinching look at colonialism through the eyes of a Maori woman whose assimilation to white culture does not protect her from the abuses visited upon her people. Go to Full Review Read all reviews
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Mārama

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Movie Info

Synopsis 1859, North Yorkshire. When young Māori woman Mary arrives from New Zealand, she's trapped as governess to a wealthy whaler's granddaughter. Living among her ancestors' stolen artifacts, she uncovers Sir Cole's horrific crimes. Embracing her Matakite powers, Mary becomes Mārama and must save Anne and avenge her family by destroying him.
Director
Taratoa Stappard
Producer
Sharlene George, RickyLee Waipuka-Russell, Rouzie Hassanova, Paraone Gloyne
Screenwriter
Taratoa Stappard
Distributor
Dark Sky Films / Watermelon Pictures
Production Co
MPI Media Group, Sweetshop Entertainment, Vendetta Films
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 17, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 29m