White Lies

Paraiti (Whirimako Black) who as a youg woman witnessed the killing of her family and fellow villagers by European settlers is now in the 1920s an elderly Maori healer and midwife, forbidden by white man's law to practice her art. She lives a semi-nomadic existence in the hill country of the Te Urewera region of New Zealand’s North Island, moving around the country looking after her people in secret.

On a visit to town, she is approached by Maraea (Rachel House), the Maori housekeeper of a wealthy white woman, Rebecca Vickers (Antonia Prebble). Mrs. Vickers needs Paraiti’s help to terminate her pregnancy before her husband returns from Europe. Paraiti initially refuses to get involved but when a young Maori girl and her unborn baby die at the hands of arrogant and callous white hospital staff she changes her mind.

Based on a novella "Medicine Woman," by Whale Rider author, Witi Ihimaera,  White Lies is reminiscent of the kind of films that typified Australia’s film renaissance of the 1970s: serious-minded costume dramas rooted in the realities of colonial settlement.  It is however made by Mexican born writer-director Dana Rotberg, now resident in New Zealand. This cultural admixture gives the film a different and arguably its strongest quality  - a sensitivity to the metaphysical  - that imbues the rather self-conscious production with real emotional conviction.

Although it was New Zealand’s submission for the 2014 foreign-language Oscar, White Lies has distinct limitations.  Rotberg’s dialogue is often stilted, particularly noticeable in the case of Whirimako Black, who, though otherwise inhabiting the role with conviction is clearly not an actress and is thus unable to lift the words off the page. House and Prebble are not much better off. There is also a rather awkward handing of narrative time, it being unclear to me at least, how far advanced is the pregnancy that Paraiti is supposed to terminate. Initially it seems quite early but then, seemingly suddenly, is at term.

Whilst Tracey Collins’ period production design includes some rather odd-looking Mondrianesque décor the core drama is strong enough to hold one’s attention whilst Alun Bollinger cinematography and John Psathas’ score help to make this a film well worth seeing.  

DVD Extras:  Interviews with cast and key creatives; Theatrical trailer.

 

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