The Stolen Children of Aotearoa

Name: The Stolen Children of Aotearoa
Released: 2025
Duration: 104 min

Julian Arahanga / New Zealand / 2025 / 104 min

For decades, thousands of children in New Zealand were taken from their families and placed in a system that was supposed to protect them but instead subjected them to violence and abuse. Many of them were Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous people. Today, survivors are breaking their silence, sharing stories of stolen childhoods and lost identities. The film weaves personal testimonies with the historical and political examination of structural violence, showing how closely this injustice is intertwined with colonial structures to this very day.

Q&A

01.06. / ACUDkino

Michael Havas

Expert

Carmen Gray

Moderator

Carmen Gray is a Berlin-based film critic, journalist and programmer from New Zealand. She has written for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian, The Observer and Sight & Sound, and works internationally as a curator, selector and mentor. With many years of experience leading critics’ workshops, she supports emerging writers in developing their analytical voice and critical practice.