Whangaroa is described as a central character in the short film Molly Malone, which was granted $10,000 by the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board at its meeting in March.

The film’s producer and lead actor, Sophie Westenra, says the board’s funding made all the difference to being able to ‘green light’ the shoot in Whangaroa, which provides the backdrop to the story about belonging.

“We are beyond grateful for the funding because it meant we could head straight out on a five-day shoot and ground the short film in the location it was written for. To have the support of the local community board meant a lot.”

Molly Malone is written and directed by Siobhan Marshall, well known in Aotearoa for her roles in Outrageous Fortune and The Almighty Johnsons, but less well known for her Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa heritage. It’s the story of growing up looking ‘white’ when your whakapapa is Māori and you’re searching for that sense of whanaungatanga. Siobhan describes her family land in Whangaroa as the “one consistent thing” in her life.

Two of the four lead actors, Brooklyn Nathan (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) and Lionel Wellington (Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa), also whakapapa to the area. Producer Sophie, who also plays lead character Molly, says their tiny crew scouted for extras locally and relied on the town’s boaties for help behind-the-scenes. The local rūnanga was also consulted throughout filming.

The tagline for the short film describes Molly as a fiery recluse who confronts Stan, a cheeky delivery boy, but in doing so discovers what she didn’t know she needed or could have - whanaungatanga.

It is hoped a film screening can be held at Kāeo later this year, where local audiences will recognise the landscapes of Whangaroa and its small-town coastal character. The film will then begin its journey around the international film festival circuit.

The $10,000 community board grant helped pay for equipment hire and crew accommodation. The film also received a $2,000 funding grant from Far North Creative Communities.

Main image – scenes around Whangaroa used in a ‘look book’ outlining the storyline and characters of the short film.

Below – Sophie Westenra, the producer, also plays Molly.

Below – Siobhan Marshall wrote and directed the film based on her own experiences.