The Twitch also known as Kaitangata Twitch is a 13 episode, half hour family drama series directed by Yvonne Mackay, produced by Chris Hampson based on the novel by Margaret Mahy. Starring Te Waimarie Kessell (The Man Who Lost His Head), George Henare (Once Were Warriors, The Silent One), Charles Mesure (This Is Not My Life, Desperate Housewives), Miriama Smith (Mirror, Mirror, Siege) Blair Strang (Shortland Street, Nothing Trivial,) and Kerry-Lee Dewing (Shortland Street).
The series, funded by NZ On Air, Te Mangai Paho and Maori Televsion, has won 6 awards locally and internationally and was a finalist in the Prix Jeunesse Festival 2010.
Synopsis
Look at what people do to the land. Clear it, cut it, burn it, smash it around, smooth it out, all to please themselves. Maybe there are a few pieces of land that want to stay the way they are. Maybe they want to get their own back, even. Maybe Kaitangata is one of those pieces of land…
In pre-European New Zealand, the tiny Island of Kaitangata was the scene of awful happenings. After that, the Island seemed to have a life of its own. It dreamt terrible dreams. The local tribe knew it was best to leave it alone. And so the Island slept again. But now Kaitangata is twitching. It’s moving. It’s waking up!
The last time it moved was over fifty years ago. It twitched. And a girl disappeared without a trace, apparently swallowed up by the Island. Now it’s moving again. Dreaming again. Only 13 year old Meredith can stop it. If she can discover what it wants before it’s too late. Before it claims another victim.
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