Māoriland Film Festival 2026

The Kāpiti Coast is set to host the largest indigenous film festival in the southern hemisphere. Māoriland Film Festival, now in its thirteenth year, continues to grow both in size and influence. Over 130 feature films, short films, video works, and documentaries screen from 24 to 28 March 2026.

Māoriland Film Festival was founded in 2014 with the express purpose of celebrating indigenous voices and storytelling in film. The unique theme continues to attract international submissions and eager film-goers. Filmmakers and producers from overseas regularly attend, network, and share stories. Multiple satellite events include lectures, live music, theatre performances, and visual arts.

Attending a screening at Māoriland offers a chance to learn about a different culture, celebrate your own, and enjoy world-class storytelling.

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A drone shot of where the Ōtaki river meets the ocean, at sunset with Kapiti island in the distance.

Ōtaki: A small town with a long history and strong Māori identity

Ōtaki is a popular tourist destination, with attractions such as the Rangiātea Church, the Ōtaki Forks, and the Tararua Forest Park. The town is also home to a number of Māori cultural attractions, including the Te Wānanga o Raukawa university and the Māoriland Film Festival.

An adult and two children stand, looking at a red vintage convertible Ferrari in the Southward Car Museum in Otaihanga, Paraparaumu.

Top things to see and do in Kāpiti

The Kāpiti Coast is a hive of activity, whatever your style you’ll find something to entertain you.

Two people sit in tall grass and admire a scenic vista with Kapiti Island in the background.

24 hours in the Kāpiti Coast

If you only have a day to spend in the Kāpiti Coast then you’ll need to get cracking. The sunny coast has a great selection of things to see, do, and eat.

The interior of Raumati social club, customers sitting at tables and the bar staff making drinks behind the bar. A shelf of wine and spirit bottles is seen behind the bar.

Soul-warming food on the Kāpiti Coast

The Kāpiti Coast is full of cosy restaurants, cafés, bars, breweries, and bakeries. You can find delicious food and soul-warming meals up and down the Coast. Produce from local farms means everything is always as fresh as can be.

Kapiti Island

A dominant feature of the Kāpiti Coast, this nature reserve is home to many endangered species.

Four adults sit together at a table on the patio at Long Beach Tavern, located in Waikanae Beach, New Zealand.

Grab a drink up the Coast

From craft beer to cocktails, a drink on the Kāpiti Coast is best enjoyed with a side of sea views.

Drone shot above Tunapo Escape, in Paekakākāriki at sunset, with Kapiti Island in the background.

Discover the charms of the Kāpiti Coast

The Kāpiti Coast stretches across 40 kilometres of curved coastline, dramatic cliffs and rolling hills from Paekākāriki to Ōtaki. The charming towns and sunny beaches have long enticed those wanting to decompress from city life.