“Cousins” has found a home. A press release announced that Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing acquired North American and UKIE rights to the award-winning drama directed by Māori filmmaking duo Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith.
Set to hit select U.S. theaters July 2 and Netflix July 22, “Cousins” tells the story of three Māori cousins: Mata, Missy and Makareta. The trio “lead separate lives, yet are bound together forever. Orphaned Mata believes she has no whānau (family) and lives out her lonely childhood in fear and bewilderment. Back home on the land in New Zealand, driven and educated Makareta flees an arranged marriage to study law and begin the search for her missing cousin. She leaves behind cheeky yet dutiful Missy who takes on her role of kaitiaki (guardian) of the land. As the years pass and land surveyors begin to encroach, their promise to bring their stolen cousin home seems more unlikely than ever, until a chance encounter changes everything,” the film’s synopsis hints.
“’Cousins’ is a beautiful story exploring identity, culture, and family that goes beyond borders and time,” said President of ARRAY, Tilane Jones. “Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith have crafted an impassioned adaptation of Patricia Grace’s classic novel that allows insight and understanding into the Māori culture, as well as the injustice faced by many indigenous groups. We are inspired at ARRAY to be able to work with this talented duo and bring this powerful film to audiences across the globe.”
“Cousins” made its festival at the 2021 Māoriland Film Festival in New Zealand where it took home the People’s Choice for Best Feature Drama. The pic debuted at number one at New Zealand’s box office when it was released earlier this year.
Gardiner previously co-directed “Waru,” an anthology film helmed entirely by female Māori filmmakers.
Asked what the best advice she’s received is, Gardiner said, “Bar none: feed them well. Merata Mita, a legend in our industry, and the last Māori woman to write and direct a feature film in New Zealand [“Mauri”], told me that filmmaking is a privilege afforded to very few. That privilege is a huge responsibility. Don’t be an asshole. Take care of each other and for God’s sake feed people properly.” She urged other women directors to work together, strive together, and fight together. “This industry is not geared towards the way that women work naturally, which is collaboratively, as a tribe. Share your work without fear. And support each other. Hire other women. Make it a priority,” she emphasized. “We can’t be successful as women by making it in a male-driven paradigm, we win when we change the paradigm. Looking forward to it!”
ARRAY Releasing is the distribution arm of ARRAY, DuVernay’s Peabody Award-winning arts and social impact collective. Recent ARRAY Releasing titles include Shantrelle P. Lewis’ doc “In Our Mothers’ Gardens” and Deepa Mehta’s coming-of-age story “Funny Boy.”
