The directorial debut of Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, We Were Dangerous, is a coming-of-age dramatic feature film. The screenplay was written by Maddie Dai. It held its world premiere at SXSW Film & Television Festival in 2024, where it won a Special Jury Award. I am so glad to have the opportunity to see the film recently after having missed it at last year’s festival.
The movie is set in the 1950s and filmed in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand. There was a disciplinary center called the Te Motu School for Incorrigible and Delinquent Girls. If anyone is not aware about this “school” that existed in many places (USA and other countries), these were given the title of a “school” but were more the disciplinary center rather than educational. I have seen other films that have been made on real facilities that existed for various reasons that the “government” or other officials deemed were necessary to deal with individuals who were deemed delinquent. Punishment does not seem to be regulated nor monitored, so the minors lived through some very devastating experiences in their lives.
The girls are moved from one site to an isolated island in 1954 after an “incident” that needed to be addressed while based on the mainland. A few teenage girls sent to the isolated island are joined by another teen that was sent by her affluent medical doctor father who deemed she needs some “change.” The girls begin to bond with one another as they rebel against the institution’s Christian indoctrination and other procedures a few girls were forced to undergo.
The film stars Rima Te Wiata, Erana James, Nathalie Morris, and Manaia Hall. The performances are excellent and the bond the girls form appear very authentic. The girls are of various ages and educational levels. One bond is particularly special when the older one establishes a sisterly relationship to help her navigate her way through the most difficult situations.
It is Executive produced by Taika Waititi, along with Carthew Neal, Bill Way, Elliott Whitton and Emily Gotto. Morgan Waru and Polly Fryer serve as producers.
We Were Dangerous will be released on April 4, 2025, in limited theaters including Beverly Hills, Tacoma and New Paltz NY (none in TX). It will then expand to additional markets on April 11, 2025 (limited cities in TX). Visit this page for updates https://weweredangerous.film/watch
Source: The Forge
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