The trailer for the latest Aotearoa-made film, 'Mārama', has officially dropped, and wow - if it’s anything to go by, this one’s going to stick with you.

Described as a “ferocious debut feature,” the trailer has already been called "stunning, unsettling, and absolutely riveting".

Set in moody Victorian-era North Yorkshire, the story follows a young Māori woman named Mary fighting to reclaim her identity and connect with her whakapapa and culture while living in a foreign land.

“She uncovers her horrific colonial heritage and is compelled to confront and destroy the Englishman who devastated her family,” the synopsis reads.

“Mary gradually discovers he is an obsessive, fetishistic collector of Māori cultural artefacts. Even worse, he harbours a gruesome, secret history from his years spent ‘harvesting’ the waters off New Zealand."

“Living among her ancestors’ appropriated treasures, Mary finds herself washed by a cavalcade of disturbing visions and dreams."

“As Mary unravels the full horrific truth of her colonial heritage, she embraces the spiritual Matakite (seer) powers inherited from her Māori female predecessors and takes on her true identity as Mārama."

It’s a mix of haunting and powerful storytelling, and strong Māori voices.

The cast is incredibly talented, being led by Ariāna Osborne in a breakout role, alongside Toby Stephens (‘Black Sails’, ‘Percy Jackson’), Umi Myers (‘Bob Marley: One Love’) and New Zealanders Erroll Shand (‘The Luminaries’) and Jordan Mooney (‘Pike River’).

Writer and director Taratoa Stappard, says: “Sharing my first feature with international audiences has been a tremendous honour."

“'Mārama' is my Māori gothic love letter to our whenua, our tīpuna, and the stories that dwell in the shadows. To now return the film to Aotearoa, to the very place where it was born, makes this journey all the more meaningful.”

“I would say 'Mārama' is a dark story about identity. It’s about knowing who you are and where you come from,” Taratoa explains.

I hope young Māori see themselves in this film. See their own experiences, their strength, and feel proud of who they are.

“We’ve had so much taken from us,” Taratoa adds, but there’s power in reclaiming our stories."

"Value your whakapapa," he says. "Know who you are and where you come from - it will only make you stronger."

The film is set to hit NZ cinemas from February 12, 2026.