Rain of the children [videorecording (DVD)] / a Vincent Ward film. - Widescreen. - [South Melbourne, Vic.] : Rialto Distribution, [2008]. - 1 videodisc (DVD) (approximately 97 min.) : sound, color ; 4 3/4 in.

Special features include: Theatrical trailer, image gallery, behind the scenes uncut, interviews.

Directed by Vincent Ward Directed by Vincent Ward Composer, John Gibson, Jack Body ; Iwi co-producer, Keero Nancy Tait ; co-producer, Catherine Fitzgerald ; producer, Vincent Ward, Marg Slater, Tainui Stephens. Composer, John Gibson, Jack Body ; Iwi co-producer, Keero Nancy Tait ; co-producer, Catherine Fitzgerald ; producer, Vincent Ward, Marg Slater, Tainui Stephens. Music by Jack Body and John Gibson ; cinematography by Adam Clark, Neon Narbey ; film editing by Chris Plummer. Music by Jack Body and John Gibson ; cinematography by Adam Clark, Neon Narbey ; film editing by Chris Plummer.

Taungaroa Emile, Temuera Morrison, Rena Owen, Miriama Rangi. Miriama Rangi, Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Waihoroi Shortland, Taungaroa Emile, .

Vincent Ward weaves drama with documentary to unravel the extraordinary story of Puhi, the Tuhoe woman who welcomed the young filmmaker into her home in 1978. Ward made the observational film In Spring One Plants Alone about Puhi's day-to-day life in the remote Urewera Ranges. By then almost 80, she was obsessively caring for her schizophrenic adult son Niki, whose violent fits terrified her. In this new cinema feature Ward sets out to unravel the mystery that has haunted him for 30 years: Who was Puhi? And why was she so obsessed with this last remaining son? Using his relationship with Puhi as the framework to explore her life, he finds a woman of extraordinary fortitude who, at the age of 12, was chosen by the great Tuhoe prophet Rua Kenana to marry his son, Whatu. Rua gave her the name, Puhi ("special one"). At 14, she had her first baby while hiding in the bush, having escaped from the 1916 police raid on Rua's community at Maungapohatu, where she witnessed the arrest of Rua and Whatu and the killing of Toko, Rua's other son, said to be her lover. She would go on to have 13 more children. But by the time Ward made his initial film, there were few signs of what had become of them. In Rain of the Children, he finds out how the loss of her children affected the course of her life. The tragedies she lived through were so powerful that some, including her, believed she was cursed. After a tumultuous second marriage and the manslaughter of her third husband, Puhi was left with her dependant son, Niki. She dedicated herself to this man-child, trying to protect him at all costs, even from beyond the grave. Rain of the Children is Ward's search for truth in the story of a woman who sought redemption through love and who has remained a touchstone for him throughout his life.

Rated M: Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over. NOTE: Contains offensive language. M - Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over. Note: contains violence and offensive language. Film rating: M. Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over. Note: Contains violence and offensive language. Rated M: Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over. NOTE: Contains violence and offensive language. M16 M: Suitable for mature audiences 16 years and over. NOTE: Contains offensive language.


PAL ; Region 4
PAL ; Region 4 ; Dolby Digital, DTS 5.1 ; anamorphic widescreen 16:9.
DVD, 16:9 aspect ratio, PAL ; Region 4


In English.

9312590150722

RLT068 Rialto Distribution


Puhi.


Children--Death--Psychological aspects.
Mother and child.
Mental illness.
Maori (New Zealand people)
Māori.
Documentary films--New Zealand.
Maori (New Zealand people)--Families.
Mothers and sons--New Zealand.
DVD-Video discs.
Ngāi Tūhoe (New Zealand people)
Ngāi Tūhoe (New Zealand people)--Drama.
Maori (New Zealand people)--Families--Drama.
Mothers and sons--New Zealand--Drama.
Care of the sick--Drama.


Feature films.
Documentary films
DVD--Film.
DVD-Film.
DVDs.
Documentary films--New Zealand.
Motion pictures--Drama--dvd.