Anapela Polataivao stars in the lead role as teacher Mareta Percival.
Anapela Polataivao stars in the lead role as teacher Mareta Percival.
A Christchurch story has opened the Hawai’i International Film Festival.
NZ director Miki Magasiva’s directorial debut Tinā had its world premiere in Honolulu with a sold-out screening on October 3.
It’s a distinctly local tale, following Christchurch teacher Mareta Percival – played by Anapela Polataivao (Our Flag Means Death, The Breaker Upperers) – grappling with the death of her daughter in the 2011 earthquake.
After the tragedy she’s forced to return to her old profession, taking up a temporary position at one of the city’s private schools, where she forms a choir (led off-screen by the highly respected choir master Tuilagi Dr Igelese Ete) and begins to heal.
Mareta (Anapela Polataivao) directs a school choir in Tinā.
While the premise is heavy, the film is billed as heartwarming and uplifting. “We’ve got a story about grief, love, acceptance and community,” Magasiva told Hawaii News’s Now Sunrise show at the festival. “Hopefully everyone would go out of the film with a bit of hope.”
The story “has a lot of Pacific content in it,” he explained, and dialogue is in English and Samoan.
“I’ve played many Pacific Island mums,” Polataivao said in the interview, “and Mareta faces unique and significant challenges in the film.
“Without expecting it she starts her healing process.”
Initial reviews are resoundingly positive, noting Polataivao’s performance “deserves every award”, urging people to see the film, and predicting it will “blow up”.
“To have the world premiere of Tinā open the Hawaii International Film Festival has been incredible,” Magasiva said in a media statement. “After years of creating this story for my family, my community and for all of our people, I am so excited that we are finally so close to sharing it with everyone in Aotearoa.”
Magasiva (brother to Robbie and the late Pua Magasiva) wrote and produced the film – alongside Dan Higgins and Mario Gaoa – which was made with investment from the New Zealand Film Commission, New Zealand Screen Production Grant and NZ On Air.
New Zealand director Miki Magasiva’s directorial debut Tina stars Anapela Polataivao. Premiered at the Hawaii International Film Festival, it will be released in New Zealand February. Photo / Supplied
Shot in Christchurch and Auckland in 2023, the cast includes Nicole Whippy, Beulah Koale and Antonia Robinson.
It’s Magasiva’s first feature-length film. His first short, Rites of Courage, was released in 2005. He won Best Director award at the 2022 NZ TV Awards for The Panthers miniseries.
He and Gaoa are co-founders of The Brown Factory, which works to facilitate career pathways in the film industry.
Miki Magasiva (left) and Mario Gaoa (right). Photo / Alex Burton
Tinā's world premiere comes amidst a strong year for Kiwi films, with Canterbury proving popular territory.
Ant Timpson’s Bookworm is set in the region and sees stars Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher searching for the elusive Canterbury Panther.
Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s feature-film debut We Were Dangerous, shot in Lyttelton Harbour, secured the prestigious opening slot at Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in August.
Local film-makers have also seen success on the international circuit. Michael Jonathan historical dramaKa Whawhai Tonu and Rachel House’s The Mountainboth screened at Sydney Film Festival, while Samuel Van Grinsven’s psychological drama Went Up The Hill was on the schedule at Toronto Film Festival.
