Uproar

Hamish
Bennett

Hamish Bennett (New Zealand). Selected filmography: The Dump (2011), Ross & Beth (2014), Tihei (2015), Bellbird (2019), Uproar (2023)

Paul
Middleditch

Paul Middleditch (Australia). Selected filmography: Terra Nova (1998), A Cold Summer (2003), Separation City (2009), Rapture-Palooza (2013), Uproar (2023)

The main character of the film is high school student Josh Waka, who tells his story from 1981. His father has passed away, and his older brother, after an injury and being forced to leave the rugby team, loses his zest for life. Josh, due to his famous father and brother, endures a school for white boys, where rugby is like a religion. As a half-Maori, he faces bullying and realizes it's best to not stand out. He might have remained just a victim, but two determining factors enter his life. A literature teacher recognizes theatrical talent in Josh, and in the same year, mass protests erupt among the indigenous people against the arrival of the South African rugby team due to apartheid. Josh finds himself in the midst of the fight for Maori rights, yet he is bound by love for his mother, who does everything to keep the family together. A retro story about identity, roots, and the courage to face one's destiny.