Through a combination of immersive reenactments and interviews, Man of Valour recounts the extraordinary but little-known true story of Lance Sergeant Haane Manahi (Alex Tarrant), a Māori soldier serving with the legendary 28th Battalion during World War II. Set during the fierce 1943 Battle of Takrouna in Tunisia, the docu-drama follows Haane as he leads his men on a perilous assault up a sheer, heavily fortified cliff face to capture a vital enemy position against overwhelming odds. His remarkable actions turn the tide of battle, but it would take decades before his contributions to the war were officially recognised.

Powerfully directed by Tearepa Kahi, the film also includes interviews with descendants of Manahi and other descendants of 28th Battalion. It has earned widespread critical acclaim for its authentic cultural framing, visceral battle choreography, and Alex Tarrant's commanding lead performance.

In 1933, after being provoked into a fight by a plainclothes policeman, widower and former soldier Samuel Murphy (Ethan Hawke) is imprisoned in a brutal forced labour camp. Desperate to reunite with his young daughter before she becomes a ward of the state, Samuel accepts a treacherous offer from Warden Clancy (Russell Crowe). In exchange for early freedom, Samuel and a small team of convicts must manually haul heavy gold bars through 100 miles of unforgiving Oregon wilderness before it can be seized by authorities. Joined by a courageous Indigenous guide (Julia Jones), the group must face treacherous river crossings, harsh environmental conditions, and deadly betrayals as greed threatens their survival.

Directed by Padraic McKinley, this gritty Great Depression-era thriller features compelling performances from a star-studded ensemble, led by Hawke and Crowe. A gripping survival drama, The Weight delivers an adrenaline-pumping cinematic experience to close out the year.