Libby Hakaraia
Libby Hakaraia
Maoriland Film Director, Producer
Libby Hakaraia (Ngāti Raukawa au ki te tonga, Ngāti Kapu) is a highly experienced storyteller with over 30 years of directing and producing for television and film. Her first short film, “The Lawnmower Men of Kapu” screened at over 30 festivals around the world and led to the establishment of the Māoriland Film Festival (MFF).
Libby has spent the past decade building MFF into the biggest Indigenous festival in the world, while also working to grow the capacity of Māori and international Indigenous screen sector through Māoriland’s year-round initiatives, resulting in over 250 short films, documentaries, animated shorts, television series and music videos.
Many of these works have screened at festivals internationally including Seattle International Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film Festival, Winda Film Festival, Skabmagovat Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, NATIVE Cinema Showcase, Blackstar Film Festival, Vancouver International Womens Festival, Birrarangga Film Festival.
In March 2023 Libby steps down from the MFF festival director role to work full time on production. At Māoriland Productions, Libby has led the production of 36 short films including directing two more short films. She is also a producer of feature film Cousins (2021) and Koka (2023), NATIVE X (2024).
Libby has spent the past decade building MFF into the biggest Indigenous festival in the world, while also working to grow the capacity of Māori and international Indigenous screen sector through Māoriland’s year-round initiatives, resulting in over 250 short films, documentaries, animated shorts, television series and music videos.
Many of these works have screened at festivals internationally including Seattle International Film Festival, imagineNATIVE Film Festival, Winda Film Festival, Skabmagovat Film Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival, NATIVE Cinema Showcase, Blackstar Film Festival, Vancouver International Womens Festival, Birrarangga Film Festival.
In March 2023 Libby steps down from the MFF festival director role to work full time on production. At Māoriland Productions, Libby has led the production of 36 short films including directing two more short films. She is also a producer of feature film Cousins (2021) and Koka (2023), NATIVE X (2024).
Related Sessions
Indigenous Collaboration: Making Films That Heal
MON, OCT 16, 3:30 PM
Conference
Co-presented by UNESCO Wellington City of Film and Māoriland Film Festival, the world's largest indigenous film festival, this inspiring panel will feature indigenous and First Nation award-winning talent and thinkers who are driving impact in the screen industry in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia, and beyond. Join them as they offer their experiences and insights, and a challenge around improving opportunity and outcomes for indigenous filmmakers and those working across the screen industry, centred on indigenous collaboration as a supercharger for change and the critical importance of making of films that heal.
