Ria Paki

Inspired by actual events, the story of a local Police Sergeant 'Taffy' Tawharau, who must choose between his badge and his people, when the Government launches an armed raid through his Ruatoki community, on a school day.

Hongi, a Maori chieftain’s teenage son, must avenge his father’s murder in order to bring peace and honour to the souls of his loved ones after his tribe is slaughtered through an act of treachery. Vastly outnumbered by a band of villains led by Wirepa, Hongi’s only hope is to pass through the feared and forbidden “Dead Lands” and forge an uneasy alliance with a mysterious warrior, a ruthless fighter who has ruled the area for years.