Renae Maihi
An auteur with a dedication to narrative storytelling, cinematic language and thematic symbolism, Renae views the world creatively from an Indigenous and global lens.
Raised in her Māori culture with the stories and songs of her people, her earliest memories are of writing, singing, dancing, performing and cataloguing Hollywood movies on her and her sisters VHS collection. IQ tested in her youth, Renae was supported to explore her gifts and voice creatively, a form of expression that has endured throughout her life.
Known and respected globally for her commitment to Indigenous storytelling and protocol, aside from the lessons that life, family and career have taught her, she has honed her knowledge over many years of committed knowledge seeking.
She holds a Bachelors Degree of Performing Arts Majoring in Drama (2003 - 2006) is alumni of Melbourne Talent Accelerator (2014) New York Film Academy (2015) and the Directors and Editors Guild New Zealand Women's Incubator (2016). In 2024 Renae was invited to the prestigious Berlinale Talents program which runs in conjunction with the A-list Berlin International Film Festival.
A highly intelligent filmmaker with leadership abilities nurtured by her mothers Ngāti Whakaue family - the paramount Chiefs of the Te Arawa nation - Renae is a hardworking organized storyteller who aims to take her talent, focus and heart to the world.
For more about Renae's career achievements, see below. For more about her various projects and progress both past and present, please see the 'Body of Work' or 'Press' sections.
Awards & Recognition
Consistent Excellence
BEST DRAMATIC FEATURE FILM
October 2022
Renae Maihi was absolutely thrilled to collect this award at imagineNATIVE Film Festival in Toronto on behalf of all the team involved in We Are Still Here. Renae has had a long association with this film festival, she has opened it previously with Waru in 2017 and every film Renae has made has screened in imagineNATIVE, the largest Indigenous film festival in the world. Accompanying her in this photo is First Nations Canadian filmmaker Colin Van Loon who took home the Digital + Interactive Award for his work 'This Is Not A Ceremony.' Congratulations Colin.
Nia Tero Fellowship Award
January 12, 2023
2023 was kicked off with this fantastic Fellowship Award aimed at mid-career storytellers. Renae was so pleased to be offered this support, which came with $40,000 NZD so she could develop her earth conscious trilogy. The cohort included celebrated Indigenous film talent such as Diego Sarmiento whose films have all premiered at Berlinale, the incredible Miciana Elyse whose film Fancy Dance premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival starring Lily Gladstone of Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. This multi-media collective was brought together to Seattle Film Festival by Tracy Rector, an Indigenous film champion who consistently identifies and supports some of the most exciting Indigenous talent in the world. Renae is now a part of the Nia Tero family and grateful to have extended her international community.
CAREER AWARDS
2010 - 2023
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2023 - Nia Tero Storytelling Fellowship Award
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2022 imagineNATIVE Film Festival Best Dramatic Feature Film Award - We Are Still Here
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2018 NZ Film Commission Māori Screen Excellence Award
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2018 34th Pacific Asian Film Festival – Grand Jury Award Outstanding International Feature Film - WARU
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2018 Seattle International Film Festival Best of SIFF Audience Award for WARU
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2018 Whakapapa Film Festival of Italy Award Filmmaker Award
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2018 Wairoa Māori Film Festival Indigenous Rights Award
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2017 NZ Writers Guild – Screenwriting Award (SWANZ) Best Feature Film Screenplay - WARU
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2013 Playmarket NZ Best Play by a Māori Playwright Award – PATUA
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2010 imagineNATIVE Film Festival – Best Short Film Redemption (writer)
“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?”