During the early twentieth century, common themes for films made in New Zealand were those of encounters between Māori and European during the pre-colonial and post-colonial periods. This mode of representation saw films such as The Seekers become vehicles for which imperial ideals and attitudes could be transported to intended audiences.  Interpretation of these films often resulted in a replication of assumptions and misrepresentations of Māori culture and identity. In the case of The Seekers, contemporary interpretations have transformed the film.  As a result, this film has become a signifier to a new generation, permitting reconnections with people, places and time to be made. In 1954 a British film crew arrived in the Bay of Plenty to shoot scenes for their production The Seekers.  This paper explores the imperialistic attitudes of the film and the way it masks the reality of Māori identities, but also the way in which its semiotic relationships allow it to be interpreted differently.