This 2025 gothic revenge horror film, set in 1859 North Yorkshire, follows a young Māori woman named Mary from New Zealand who seeks answers about her birth family at an English manor, uncovering horrific crimes and embracing her Matakite powers. What is the film's title?

The 2025 gothic revenge horror film described is titled Mārama, a potent and evocative name that directly relates to the protagonist's journey and heritage. Set in 1859 North Yorkshire, the movie introduces Mary, a young Māori woman who travels from New Zealand to an English manor seeking information about her birth family. This quest quickly devolves into a terrifying ordeal as she uncovers a history of horrific crimes committed by the manor's owner, Sir Nathaniel Cole.

As Mary delves deeper into the sinister secrets of the estate and the truth of her ancestral past, she begins to embrace her Matakite powers. These spiritual abilities, inherited from her Māori female predecessors, allow her to perceive the world's underlying realities and connect her to her true identity. Her transformation into Mārama signifies not just a personal awakening, but a powerful act of reclaiming her culture and seeking justice against the colonial forces that have wronged her family.

Directed and written by Taratoa Stappard, this New Zealand production uses the gothic horror genre to explore profound themes of colonialism, cultural appropriation, intergenerational trauma, and the fight for identity and retribution. The film offers a unique perspective by having the colonized confront the colonizer on their own land, creating a narrative that is both hauntingly atmospheric and deeply resonant with its message of empowerment and vengeance.