Festival director Sally Woodfield said the film was an "interesting response" to the events that unfolded in Te Uruwera 15 years ago, with an incredible cast, including Tame Iti playing himself.
"We are looking forward to having the director with us, and also some Tuhoe whanau there; it will be a wonderful, unforgettable night," Woodfield said.
The screening of Muru would set the tone for a "fantastic line-up" of films in the festival, running in Dunedin from August 11-21, which would showcase the best of the Cannes and other international film festivals, a comprehensive New Zealand selection, and documentaries.
Among the many highlights will be Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, David Cronenberg’s sci-fi spellbinder Crimes of the Future, Queer Palm winner Joyland by Saim Sadiq, and closing night comedy Triangle of Sadness by Ruben Ostlund.
The New Zealand films will include poignant documentary Gloriavale, meditation on methamphetamine addiction Ka Po, eight stories of Asian lives in Aotearoa Kainga and Costa Botes’ documentary When the Cows Come Home.
Woodfield said the festival programme had been scaled back this year, as it was a time of rebuilding after the challenges of the pandemic.
"I feel our team has done a great job of curating the festival in difficult circumstances, and that we still have 65 films screening in Dunedin," she said.
However, the constraints of the smaller festival meant screenings would only be held at the Rialto this year, leaving out the usual popular Regent Theatre programme.
"It is a smaller festival, but that is simply about managing financial risk with the ongoing Covid situation," Woodfield said.
"We love the Regent Theatre and we want to be back there next year."
