Mata, Missy and Makareta. Three cousins. Three lives. Separated by circumstances, yet bound together by blood.

Orphaned Mata believes she has no whanau and lives out her lonely childhood in fear and bewilderment. Back home on the land, educated Makareta flees an arranged marriage to study law and begin the search for her missing cousin. She leaves behind cheeky yet dutiful Missy who takes on her role of kaitiaki (guardian) of the land. As the years pass, loss of the family land seems imminent and the women's promise to bring their stolen cousin home seems more unlikely than ever, until a chance encounter changes everything.

Critic Reviews:

• " It feels to me that like films like this one really only come around once in a blue moon. " – Kate Rodger (Newshub, NZ)

• " Cousins is a timely and vital look at the importance of identity, family and institutional inequalities, some of which shamefully still exist today. " – James Croot (Stuff.co.nz)

• " Cousins is a deeply moving dramatic triumph, one that stayed with me for some time after the cinema lights came back on. " – Steve Newall (Flicks.co.nz)