This story was originally published on The Spinoff.
Three years ago, Tom Webster decided it was now or never to pursue his childhood dream. He’d worked in the construction industry as a joiner for much of his career, but what he really wanted to do was write and direct films. He knew the potential for failure loomed large, but eventually he decided that even if he tried and failed, it was better than not trying at all.
Fast forward to 2023 and Webster’s first-ever short film, Embrace, is screening on the international festival circuit, picking up more than a dozen awards in the UK, Ireland, Japan, the US, Australia, and New Zealand. Embrace tells the story of a young MMA fighter preparing for an upcoming match while caring for her ill mother. With the film in both English and te reo Māori, Embrace is at once both uniquely local yet enduringly universal, touching on themes like grief, strength, family, and aroha that have resonated with international festival audiences.
