The actress went to Karamu High School before studying nursing at EIT and working in hospitality, aged care and office administration.
"I'd done drama at Karamu but acting wasn't really a career that I was planning on choosing, but I'm loving it. It's definitely awesome, especially the people you meet.
"It was so different to anything I've ever done. It's indescribable. The day I went there everyone treated me like I was basically family. It was cool."
More than 150 family members packed out a private screening earlier this week and Ms Hapi said it was surreal to see herself on the screen.
She said she had her director, Ms Jones, to thank for helping her understand and envelop the character so well.
"The first day we met I felt like I had known her for years and years. She kind of put Mere in me and I think that's why I pulled it off. She'd gone into so much detail about Mere and her story. She's awesome at what she does."
Ms Jones said her star actress was "just magic", going so far as to quickly learn te reo for the role, and was looking forward to watching her progress in her acting career.
"The whole experience with the actors, for me, made my job a whole lot easier. It was the first film I've ever made, I've made documentaries around social issues before, but this was the first time I could write the ending."
Ms Jones was one of eight Maori female directors who each contributed a film sequence portraying a different perspective on the film's centrepiece, Waru's death.
Paralysed by idiopathic transverse myelitis nearly eight years ago, she was grateful for the opportunity film producers Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton gave her and for the special all-terrain wheelchair she was able to use during filming.
"That's the thing I was stressed about the most was actually being able to move around. I'm very grateful it allowed me more mobility. It alleviated a lot of my fears."
With no previous acting experience, Ms Hapi said she had already been cast for another film to be shot in November, having signed with Auckland agency Gail Cowan Management.
Also starring in the film was Antonio Te Maioha of Hawke's Bay, playing Tapu, who went to Havelock High School and Taikura Rudolf Steiner School.
The film will be played at Focal Point Cinemas in Hastings at 8.30pm today, 6.10pm Sunday and 1pm Monday. For more information visit hastings.focalpointcinema.co.nz.