Briar Grace-Smith ONZM is a leading Māori playwright, screenwriter, director, actor, and short story writer. Her plays, including Ngā Pou Wāhine, Purapurawhetū, When Sun and Moon Collide, and Paniora, are cornerstones of contemporary New Zealand theatre and have toured nationally and internationally.

She has written and directed across film and television, co-wroting and co-directing the acclaimed features Waru and co-directing Cousins, and co-writing The Strength of Water, which premiered at Berlin and Rotterdam Film Festivals. Her television work includes Fishskin Suit, Kaitangata Twitch, and the biopic Billy.

A Laureate of the Arts Foundation of New Zealand and recipient of the Bruce Mason Playwriting Award, Briar’s work spans stage, screen, poetry, and prose, giving voice to Māori stories and perspectives with depth, power, and originality.

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📸 https://www.gg.govt.nz/image-galleries/7899/media?page=1

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