EXCLUSIVE: Dark Sky Films is teaming up with sister company Watermelon Pictures on the acquisition of North American distribution rights to Mārama, the gothic horror feature from Māori writer-director Taratoa Stappard (Taumanu).
Set in Victorian England, 1859, Mārama is the story of a young Māori woman’s fight to reclaim her identity and indigenous culture. When she is mysteriously summoned from New Zealand to North Yorkshire, she uncovers her horrific colonial heritage and is compelled to confront and destroy the titled Englishman who devastated her family.
The film will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival on September 7th as part of the festival’s Discovery Programme.
The movie features Māori actor Ariāna Osborne (Madam) in the lead role alongside British actors Toby Stephens (Black Sails) and Umi Myers (Bob Marley: One Love), as well as New Zealanders Erroll Shand (Savage) and Jordan Mooney (The Bluff).
The acquisition agreement, which encompasses all North American distribution rights, was negotiated by the Dark Sky Films acquisition team and producers Sharlene George and Rouzie Hassanova. The former is a veteran genre presence while newcomer Watermelon is known for releasing From Ground Zero and working on The Voice Of Hind Rajab.
The film will be released in North American theaters in the first quarter of 2026. International sales at TIFF are being handled by Franziska McCray. Dark Sky and Watermelon are both owned by MPI Media Group.
Pic is produced by Sharlene George (Taumanu), CEO and Founding Partner of international production company The Sweetshop. The film’s other producers are Rickylee Russell-Waipuka (Taumanu), Rouzie Hassanova (Radiogram) with Paraone Gloyne as Pou Tiaki Reo & Tikanga (Māori Language & Culture Producer). Executive producers include Victoria Dabbs, Gal Greenspan for Sweetshop Entertainment, Jill Macnab and Phil Bremner for Vendetta Films.
The film was developed with support from Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga/The New Zealand Film Commission, imagineNATIVE, The Black List, Toronto I.F.F., Zurich I.F.F., and the Berlinale Co-Production Market.
Badie Ali, co-CEO of Dark Sky Films and Watermelon Pictures commented: “Taratoa Stappard has crafted a visually stunning, emotionally resonant film that redefines what gothic horror can be. We’re proud to champion Indigenous storytelling and bring this powerful, culturally rooted work to North American audiences.”
“Mārama is an Indigenous-led production in every sense,” added producer Sharlene George. “It’s a film that not only challenges conventions, but also puts Indigenous voices and worldviews at the heart of its storytelling.”
Writer-director Taratoa Stappard said: “Mārama is the first of my planned trilogy of Māori gothic horror stories about colonising violence being met with Indigenous retribution. I can’t wait to share my film with the world.”