Warning: Trailer below contains graphic violence.

By Staff

“A powerful and primal coming of age story that’s an absolute adrenaline rush, The Dead Lands is far more than just a great action movie… it’s great cinema.”

– Director James Cameron

Already creating a buzz as the first film to exclusively feature pre-colonial Maori culture, Toa Fraser’s “The Dead Lands” will be playing RiverRun International Film Festival this month. Winston-Salem film fans will have the opportunity to have a window into this unique culture as well as the chance to see the first ever use of the native martial art, Mau Rakau, in a film. Riding right on the front edge of 21st Century action/adventure filmmaking, “The Dead Lands”, is also a traditional hero’s journey that any student of Joseph Campbell would recognize. The film is already having an intense impact, including screenings being hosted by legendary action film director James Cameron.

The film does not purport to be culturally or historically accurate. The mysticism and myth on display is treated with a reverence, but mainstream audiences will not find the film obtuse in any way. If you know about Luke Skywalker and his relationships with both the Force and with Obi-Wan/Yoda, then you know enough to follow along with 16 year-old Hongi (James Rolleston) and his journey to find the “Monster” that lurks in the “Dead Lands” where a whole tribe once disappeared in the distant past, and use that warrior/beast to exact revenge on the mohawked band of Stormtroopers led by the cruel, arrogant, and indomitable Wirepa(Te Kohe Tuhaka).

Besides being a great way to re-examine tried and true myths, the Maori setting and Mau Rakau fight choreography are like nothing we’ve seen before… and isn’t that what we truly want from our films and film festivals?

RiverRun will be screening “Dead Lands” twice- April 18th and April 24th. You can find showtimes and tickets for this and other RiverRun Films HERE.