Maunga Cassino

Name: New Zealand Film Commission
Price range: $

New Zealand Production

Short 2023 Drama, Comedy 16.00 minutes

Italy, World War 2. In the shadow of Monte Cassino Monastery, a battle-hardened Māori soldier pursues a rooster into a stable but hidden inside an Italian deserter hides. They find themselves trapped in a dangerous standoff. Neither knows which side the other man is on or what the other is saying, and their attempts to communicate are ridiculous. They recognise in each other a genuine humanity, and more importantly, both are equally hungry. Together they capture the rooster, cook and eat it. Calmed by full bellies, the Italian shares that his wife and child are sheltering inside the Monastery. With the sound of bombers in the distance, the Māori man knows they are heading to destroy the ancient Monastery.