Utu
In New Zealand in the 1860s the native Māori people fought the British colonials to keep the land guaranteed to them by treaty. The warrior Te Wheke fights for the British until betrayal leads him to seek utu (revenge). The settler Williamson in turn seeks revenge after Te Wheke attacks his homestead. Meanwhile Wiremu, an officer for the British, seems to think that resistance is futile.
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Cast
30 people
Anzac Wallace
Te Wheke
Known for
The Quiet Earth
Bruno Lawrence
Williamson
Known for
The Quiet Earth
Tim Elliott
Col. Elliot
Also in
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
The Last Outlaw
Kelly Johnson
Lt. Scott
Also in
Goodbye Pork Pie
Battletruck
Wi Kuki Kaa
Wiremu
Known for
The Bounty
Ilona Rodgers
Emily
Also in
The New Adventures of Black Beauty
Salt & Pepper
Merata Mita
Matu
Also in
Kaleidoscope
Faenza Reuben
Hersare
Also in
Uenuku
John Bach
Belcher
Known for
Spartacus
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Tom Poata
Puni
Also in
Wild Horses
Tania Bristowe
Kura
Also in
Heart of the Stag
Martyn Sanderson
Vicar
Also in
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Shortland Street
Geoff Murphy Director · Keith Aberdein Writer Michael Horton Editor
Worldwide gross $600K · United States release September 13, 1984 · Produced in New Zealand
Box office
Worldwide gross
$600,000
Production
Utu Productions
Production
New Zealand Film Commission
Production
New Zealand
Produced in
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · Māori
Release dates
New Zealand · January 31, 1983
Theatrical · Premiered in Napier, NZ per https://www.audioculture.co.nz/profile/john-charles. This is the documented NZ public premiere/opening; separate general-release would have been a few months later, but the date is not currently verified.
United States · September 13, 1984
Theatrical
France
May 14, 1983 · Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
June 27, 1984 · Theatrical
Germany
August 21, 1986 · Theatrical
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Some details come from TheTVDB.