Two New Zealand films will screen at the 2016 Berlin Film Festival. Lee Tamahori's Mahana and Tammy Davis's Born To Dance will make their debut at the prestigious festival.
Mahana is based on Witi Ihimaera's novel Bulibasha and tells the story of two large sheep shearing families, the Mahanas and the Poatas. The families are sworn enemies. 14-year-old Simeon, who has grown up in the shadow of his grandfather wants to know why.
Mahana is Tamahori's first New Zealand film in 20 years. He is reunited with Temuera Morrison and Once Were Warriors producer Robin Scholes.
Akuhata Keefe, who plays Simeon, is a newcomer and was picked from Tolaga Bay Area School for the part.
Mahana will be released in New Zealand on March 3.
Tammy Davis's Born to Dance will also screen in the festival's Generation 14 plus section.
The film features some of the world's best hip-hop dancers with choreography by the infamous Parris Goebel.
Born to Dance had its world premiere at 2015's Toronto International Film Festival, just ahead of its release on New Zealand screens in September, taking over a million dollars at the box office.
The Berlin Film Festival is one of the world's most important film festivals, screening up to 400 films each year.
It runs on 11-21 February.