In the Media

RADIO | PrideNZ [NZ] | 2 August 2020

Interview with Max Currie, Craig Gainsborough and Elz Carrad after the Wellington premiere.

RADIO | RNZ with NineToNoon [NZ] | 28 July 2020

Talking to Elz Carrad – the lead actor in Rūrangi, a ground-breaking transgender web series set in a fictional small-town dairying community. It tells the story of Caz Davis, who comes home as himself for the first time since transitioning.

INTERVIEW | Tearaway [NZ] | 28 July 2020

Directed by Queernation TV host and Shortland Street writer, Max Currie brings the story of young trans activist Caz Davis to the screen in Rūrangi, premiering as part of the Whānau Mārama: New Zealand International Film Festival 2020 programme.

PROFILE | Stuff.co.nz [NZ] | 26 July 2020

Ramon Te Wake is an actress, singer-songwriter, and model living in an apartment on Auckland’s Karangahape Rd.

INTERVIEW | E-Tangata [NZ] | 26 July 2020

Cole Meyers, a trans activist, teacher and writer, is debuting his groundbreaking series Rūrangi today, which he co-wrote and produced. It’s one of a number of recent shows and films that aim to show positive representations of the transgender experience.

REVIEW | TV One [NZ] | 26 July 2020

Warm and heartfelt thanks to its brilliant writing and stellar – and largely gender-diverse – cast, Rūrangi is a much-needed addition to the transgender community’s lacking representation on screen, all wrapped up in five tight episodes.

REVIEW | Big Screen [NZ] | 23 July 2020

Rūrangi five-episode season makes for an irresistible feature-length watch. Sick of poor trans and queer representation on Kiwi screens, director Max Currie (Everything We Loved) tells the stories of LGBTQi+ from their own perspective. With a ground breaking gender-diverse cast and crew, it’s authentic and inspiring viewing.

REVIEW | Pantograph Punch | 23 July 2020

#byusandaboutus: A review of Rūrangi. Essa Ranapiri on how amazing it is (and how sad it is that it is amazing) to watch Rūrangi, a film created by, for, and starring trans people.

REVIEW | Xenojay [NZ] | 23 July 2020

Rurangi is about all of us, as told by the minority. This shift in perspective provides a look at things some of us needed to see, and some of us needed reminding of; All lovingly told within the “wop wops” of Aotearoa.

REVIEW | Into:Screens [NZ] | 22 July 2020

“A momentous victory for trans representation.” New Zealand’s powerful new web-series offers genuine representation of Aotearoa’s transgender community in both performative and production roles.

RADIO | RDU [NZ] | 21 July 2020

At a time when the world is curious,  representations of a gender diverse urban community juxtaposed with small town New Zealand offer hopeful spaces. In conversation with director Max Currie.

RADIO | Waatea News [NZ] | 20 July 2020

In conversation with Elz Carrad, who plays lead Caz Davis in Rūrangi.

REVIEW | KUWNZ [NZ] | 19 July 2020

NZIFF first web series Rūrangi is a heartfelt trans-celebratory drama. This five-part web series is beautifully acted, written and directed by Elz Carrad, Cole Meyers and Max Currie respectively. You’re immediately drawn into a story set in everyday Auckland and nearby milk country – not only because of the sexual politics involved but because the characters are carefully drawn, visceral and real in their struggles.

VIDEO | Re: [NZ] | 8 July 2020

Casting trans actors to play trans characters can change lives. “[Trans] representation has always been the prostitutes with the deep voice or homeless people or dead people. And that can send a message that we are no more than that,” says Aelya Duncan.

Stuff [NZ] - 14 July 2020

Trans-centred web series to premiere at New Zealand film festival

TV | Māori TV - Tapatahi [NZ] | 15 July 2020

Ground-breaking transgender series Rūrangi is set to debut at this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival. Rūrangi is written and produced by transgender people and stars Elz Carrard, a transgender and trans-activist whose character returns to his hometown to reconnect with his past.

INTERVIEW | Mindfood [NZ] | 21 July 2020

A timely, compelling and heartfelt look at Aotearoa through a trans lens, Rūrangi is an exploration of mental health, family tensions and the environmental impact in a rural setting. We talk to the show’s breakout star Elz Carrad and writer Cole Meyers about the creation of the series and the importance of trans storytelling in 2020.

INTERVIEW | Flip the Script [NZ] | 12 July 2020

Interview with Ramon te Wake & Cole Meyers for Narrative Muse’s “Flip the Script”

RADIO | RNZ with Kim Hill [NZ] | 11 July 2020

In the new series Rūrangi, gender-diverse New Zealanders get an opportunity to tell their own story – with resources – for the first time, says director Max Currie. Over half of Rūrangi’s cast and crew identify as gender-diverse – an umbrella term that encompasses transgender, non-binary and intersex people, Currie tells Kim Hill.

REVIEW | Flicks.co.nz [NZ] | 1 July 2020

The best queer stories are told by queer communities: it shouldn’t be something that’s up for debate anymore. However, if you need fodder to prove your point, Rūrangi will do the trick. It’s a generous and heartful story of homecoming and identity led on-screen by the truly electric Elz‌ ‌Carrad as Caz. I would tell everyone to watch this, and I hope we see a second season.

PROFILE | Stuff.co.nz [NZ] | 20 June 2020

Elz Carrad is the lead actor in the local webseries Rūrangi, which depicts the experiences of gender-diverse Kiwis, and has its premiere at this year’s New Zealand International Film Festival. The 28-year-old proposed to his girlfriend, Dana Andrew,​ 36, a skin therapist, during alert level 3. The couple live in Auckland with their three kids.