An ecological crisis is quietly unfolding beneath the tranquil waters of Aotea, Great Barrier Island, in New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf. Caulerpa brachypus, an aggressive invasive algae, is rapidly overtaking the seafloor—threatening marine biodiversity and the ancestral fishing practices of the local community. Mauri Moana is a poetic and urgent call to protect a sacred ocean connection before it is smothered forever.

Nathaniel Howe - Director
Stevie Davis-Tana - Producer