Indigenous curator Nigel Borell’s groundbreaking Māori art exhibition becomes both a cultural triumph and a battleground for power, captured with extraordinary behind the scenes access in Chelsea Winstanley’s directorial debut feature, TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty.

Short Synopsis

TOITŪ: Visual Sovereignty, the debut directorial feature from Academy Award nominated producer Chelsea Winstanley, goes behind the scenes of the largest Māori art exhibition in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. Following curator Nigel Borell’s vision for Toi Tū Toi Ora: Contemporary Māori Art, the fi lm captures both its record-breaking success and the behind the scenes confl icts that arise when Indigenous sovereignty challenges institutional power. Featuring rare access and the voices of celebrated artists such as Shane Cotton, Emily Karaka, Taika Waititi, Brett Graham, Ngahina Hohaia, the Mataaho Collective and Reuben Paterson, this is a powerful portrait of cultural resilience and authorship.