Why a movie about the Christchurch shootings is stirring controversy in New Zealand


News of an upcoming movie about the 2019 Christchurch massacre isn't going over well in New Zealand, and amid the backlash, one producer has already dropped out.
Rose Byrne is set to star as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in They Are Us, a movie centered around the aftermath of the shootings that left 51 people dead at two mosques in 2019, as Variety reported. Directed by Andrew Niccol, the film was described as an "inspirational story about the young leader's response to the tragic events, and the remarkable achievements of her government and citizens who rallied behind her message of compassion and unity to ban assault rifles in New Zealand."
But the film is sparking backlash in New Zealand due to its reported plans to focus more on Ardern than on the victims of the attack and the Muslim community, The New York Times reports. A petition calling for They Are Us to be canceled because it "side-lines the victims and survivors and instead centres the response of a white woman" has drawn more than 60,000 signatures.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The issue is that the film is about Jacinda Ardern, but it's not her story to tell," Adibah Khan, a spokesperson for New Zealand's National Islamic Youth Association, told the Times, while Iranian-New Zealand writer Ghazaleh Golbakhsh compared this to the kind of films "you would probably see in the 1920s or '30s in Hollywood, where white saviors go into the desert."
Amid this controversy, producer Philippa Campbell on Monday withdrew from the film, criticizing the fact that its promotion "did not take enough account of the political and human context of the story," The Washington Post reports. Ardern has also criticized the movie, saying, "I agree that there are stories that at some point should be told from March 15. But they are the stories from our Muslim community so they need to be at the centre of that."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Gandhi arrests: Narendra Modi's 'vendetta' against India's opposition
The Explainer Another episode threatens to spark uproar in the Indian PM's long-running battle against the country's first family
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US