Ahead of the world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival, Blue Fox Entertainment released a trailer for Uproar, the inspiring drama film starring Julian Dennison (Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Godzilla vs Kong, Deadpool 2, Paper Planes), Uproar is brought to life by a superstar cast including local legends Rhys Darby (Jumanji, Our Flag Means Death, Trolls, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows, Flight of the Conchords, The Boat that Rocked and many more), emerging Aotearoa talent Erana James (The Wilds, Changeover), James Rolleston (Boy, The Dark Horse, The Breaker Upperers, Pork Pie), Minnie Driver and newcomer Jada Fa’atui.
Directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett, Uproar premieres in the Special Presentations section of the upcoming festival.
Set in New Zealand, 1981, Josh Waaka is a 17-old square peg in the round, rugby-obsessed hole that is St Gilbert’s College. Meanwhile, the South African national rugby team, the Springboks, are touring New Zealand, sparking nationwide protests and dividing the country. Josh’s newfound passion for acting, as well as a greater awareness of his Māori heritage, sends him tumbling headlong into conflict where he is forced to either conform or stand up for himself, his whānau (family) and his future. Uproar is the funny and heartwarming story of a young man’s battle to find his true voice, set against the volatile backdrop of New Zealand’s fight for its national identity.
“Ultimately, Uproar recognizes that everyone comes with their own āhua, or shape, and celebrates this fact.” say co-directors Middleditch and Bennett. “Josh has never felt like he fits, and although his set of circumstances are unique to him, that feeling of not fitting in is one that many of us have felt in our lives. Uproar places value on these differences, prioritizes understanding people rather than judging them, and advocates strongly for the voices of the younger generation as agents of change and evolution. Uproar is a story of hope.”
Watch the official trailer for Uproar.