Cousins
Offensive language Rated on: 03 March 2021
What’s it about?
Three cousins, who are bound together by love and hope, are separated for decades all leading very different but hard lives. One of them is taken from her family and sent to an orphanage, which is the start of the significant trauma she experiences throughout her life.
The film includes strong themes of racism, inequality and loss, as well as the importance of whānau and identity. The film speaks to the stolen generations, the Māori tamariki taken from their whānau in Aotearoa.
The facts
- Directed by Ainsley Gardiner and Briar Grace Smith
- English and Māori languages
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Based on the book Cousins by Patricia Grace
Why did it get this rating?
This film was rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.
Offensive language
There is some use of offensive language including words such as “bitch”.
Further information
‘Cousins’ Review: The Ties That Bind
Cousins: Why this lovingly crafted Kiwi drama demands your attention
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Content that may disturb
A maternity home for unmarried mothers and their children operated between 1925 and 1961 in Tuam, County Galway. In the 21st century, the home became the focus of a national scandal after a forensic excavation uncovered the remains of hundreds of babies and young children, along with illegal adoptions, mistreatment, and systemic neglect. In this film based on based on true events, an amateur historian investigates the horrors that took place there.