Transgender activist Caz (Elz Carrad) left his hometown of Rurangi and had no contact with his friends or family for 10 years. Known to his parents as a woman when he left the small rural town, Caz transitioned and didn’t attend his mother’s funeral fearing that his presence would be too much of a distraction. Returning home to try and reconnect with his father Gerald (Kirk Torrance), Caz has to face up to what he left behind and learn to live as his authentic self.
‘Rurangi’ is a New Zealand drama from director Max Currie that is based on a mini-series of the same name (which has been renewed for a second season). A film that explores identity in a variety of ways, ‘Rurangi’ shines a spotlight on the difficulty that transgender people have living in a way that is authentic for them. Caz left Rurangi without saying goodbye to anyone and the reaction of his friend Anahera (Awhina-Rose Ashby) upon his return is a complicated one as she’s simultaneously angry Caz left but happy that he’s back. At first Anahera struggles to recognise Caz as the person she knew – a theme that runs through as Caz connects with people from his life – but soon the friends fall into an easy rhythm.
While Caz is embraced by Anahera, his reunion with his father Gerald isn’t quite as warm and cuddly. The two men are separated by emotional distance, both hurting over Caz’s decision to leave and cut off contact. Caz is worried that his father can’t accept that he has transitioned but the reality is that Gerald is angrier about the impact Caz’s departure had on him and his late wife. Since Caz has been away, Gerald has turned into an environmental activist, seeking justice to prevent anyone else from dying the way his wife did after being exposed to harmful chemicals. Caz and Gerald’s reunion is a hard one but it plays out in a way that feels realistic, and I imagine incredibly relatable for those that have been in Caz’s shoes.
As well as exploring transgender themes, ‘Rurangi’ looks at identity from other angles too. We see Anahera learning Maori in a bid to connect with her heritage while Jem (Arlo Green), Caz’s ex, has to understand his attraction to Caz and what that means for his own sexuality. Both of these are complicated topics and the film could have dived deeper into both. Unfortunately, at just under 90 minutes, it never gets the chance to fully explore these issues in a way that feels wholly satisfying.
The entire film really does hang on the shoulders of Elz Carrad and he does a superb job. Caz comes across as awkward and lacking in confidence, while at the same time he’s driven with a conviction to follow his instincts. Carrad beautifully brings that to the surface and makes Caz a lead you can root for. He also has strong chemistry with Arlo Green’s Jem and Kirk Torrance’s troubled Gerald.
‘Rurangi’ attempts to tackle a lot in a short space of time and it could have benefitted from a little more room to full realise all of its ideas. Given that the TV show has been given another season, I’m sure that some of the film’s shortcomings will be rectified. While it may not be a perfect watch, ‘Rurangi’ brings attention to a variety of subjects that barely get air time and for that and it should be commended.
Cast: Elz Carrad, Arlo Green, Awhina-Rose Ashby, Kirk Torrance Director: Max Currie Writers: Cole Meyers & Oliver Page Certificate: 15 Duration: 87 mins Released by: Peccadillo Pictures Release date: 25th February 2022
[rwp-reviewer-rating-stars id=”0″]
