This week, we’re looking at Once Were Warriors (1994), the powerful New Zealand drama that shook audiences worldwide. Directed by Lee Tamahori, the film tells the story of the Heke family, led by Jake “the Muss,” whose explosive violence collides with Beth’s strength and resilience as she struggles to protect her children. Unflinching in its depiction of domestic abuse, poverty, and cultural identity, Once Were Warriors is both heartbreaking and vital—a raw portrait of generational trauma and survival that has lost none of its impact.