Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing is releasing the New Zealand box-office hit Cousins directed by award-winning Māori filmmaking duo Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace-Smith. The film debuted theatrically in NYC on July 2nd, and premieres worldwide on Netflix on July 22nd.
Cousins had its worldwide premiere at the Māoriland Film Festival in New Zealand where it won the 2021 People’s Choice for Best Feature Drama, and debuted at number one at New Zealand’s box office when it was released earlier this year.
The film is produced by an all-female, Māori team and features nine Māori actresses playing three cousins across three stages of their lives.
Cousins follows three Māori cousins- Mata, Missy and Makareta – who 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.
Watch the trailer for Cousins.
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