Uproar

In 1981, the arrival of a South African rugby team turns the quiet university town of Dunedin into a flashpoint of heated debate. The city’s love of sport collides with a growing chorus of protests against racism, lending the streets a restless energy that feels both urgent and unsettling. Against this backdrop, the film balances the gritty realism of a nation in flux with the intimate, almost lyrical perspective of a teenager on the cusp of adulthood.

Josh Waaka lives with his widowed mother Shirley and his older brother Jamie in a modest home that reflects their mixed Māori‑European heritage. Enrolled at the traditional St Gilbert’s School for Men, Josh is surrounded by a culture steeped in rugby, discipline, and a strict hierarchy overseen by the stern Principal Slane. While his brother, once a star on the pitch, now grapples with injury, Josh feels the pull of a different dream—acting. The encouragement of the school’s drama mentor Brother Madigan offers him a glimpse of a world where his voice might be heard, setting up a quiet tension between the expectations of family, school, and his own yearning for self‑expression.

Beyond the classroom, the community’s political awakening surfaces through friendships with local activist Samantha and her aunt Tui, whose perspectives broaden Josh’s understanding of identity and justice. The film captures the mood of a society questioning its values while a young man negotiates loyalty, heritage, and ambition. In this layered portrait of 1980s New Zealand, art and sport become opposing yet intertwined pathways, hinting at the choices that will shape Josh’s future without revealing the outcomes that lie ahead.

Last Updated: October 05, 2025 at 16:49