The Māori celebration of New Year in July, marked by the rising of the stars in the Matariki constellation, is an occasion to mourn the deceased, celebrate the present, and prepare the ground for the coming year.   

While driving the length of New Zealand from hospital on the South Island to her home on the North, Māori Elder Hamo takes on the care of Jo, a troubled young woman being evicted from a caravan park, who has lost touch with her Māori culture. They form an unlikely bond, and as they confront past traumas and demons, their journey becomes a path to healing and reconciliation, experienced through Matariki. The film won the People’s Choice Award at the Māoriland Film Festival in 2025, possibly helped by its high production values; director Kath Akuhata-Brown said that the film benefited indirectly from the recent writers and actors strikes in America. “With several overseas film productions on hold here, their crack crews were suddenly available, and keen to throw their expertise at Kōka.” (Radio NZ). Roadshow.