Māori Television debuts supernatural vertical drama Kiri on YouTube, TikTok

Kiri is set in Wellington during the early 1980s

Māori Television in New Zealand has launched its first vertical drama series on streamer Māori+, YouTube and TikTok.

Kiri (10×3′) is described as part supernatural drama, part coming-of-age story and has been created specifically for mobile-first audiences in response to the microdrama trend.

Written, produced and directed by Julian and Becs Arahanga of Awa Films, it is set in Wellington during the early 1980s and follows a 14-year-old girl gifted with the ability to heal through mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge).

It has been funded by Te Māngai Pāho, the Māori broadcasting funding agency, and comes as vertical dramas continue to gain popularity internationally, attracting millions of viewers on social media platforms and dedicated microdrama apps.

Māori Television said it views the format as a vehicle for indigenous storytelling and language revitalisation.