Film review-Womb (2025) Ira Hetaraka

In the desolate night, a mare gives birth, only to see her foal be taken by pale human arms.

This evocative opening scene establishes a poignant allegory for the forced displacement of Māori children at the hands of Western colonial systems.  Ira Hetaraka's Womb portrays a viscerally haunting tale of memory, powerlessness, and the imperishable love between mother and daughter in the face of prejudice.

 Mira (Poutama Heteraka), a young Māori girl, is separated from her mother to assimilate into the home of a Western foster family. The ‘home’ in question is a gauche mansion, adorned with white Roman pillars, gilded frames, and a manicured English garden. Hetaraka’s use of liminal horror motifs further aids the narrative of Mira’s subjugation, revealing how the white picket fence conceals the brutality underlying British polite society. The film’s use of sterile, muted lighting encapsulates the dull monotony of Mira’s routine, sharply emphasising warmth emitted in the weekly visitations with her mother and poetically underscoring the cultural alienation that she experiences.

From the attention to visual style to formidable thematic messaging, This film transcends its runtime, delivering a profoundly moving work that lingers in your thoughts for days beyond.