Rolling out the red carpet for young Pacific filmmakers

Twins Levi and Keilani from Ormiston Junior College won prizes for Best Screenplay (Levi) and Best Film (Keilani).

Telling stories is intrinsic to Pacific life. It’s the way messages and expectations are passed down through generations, and the way that values are shared.

The Pacific Youth Short Film competition was created as a vehicle for young Pacific people to explore their identity and the medium of film – and the results are spectacular.

The competition, open to 130 students across Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Te Moana a Toi Bay of Plenty, drew 43 entries from 45 schools.

Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i and Esera Tanoa’i, who organised the competition, say it provided “an amazing insight to what is important to young Pacific people”.

“Our programme aimed to connect Pacific learners with their families to have conversations about identity and family history so they could tell these stories through the medium of short film.”

Tupe and Esera run Poporazzi Productions, contracted by Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education to run filmmaking workshops and the short film competition for young Pacific people.

“The inspiration for this competition came from our own daughters. They entered a film competition for tamariki, and we noticed it ignited a passion in them; they spent far more hours learning and working than on anything else, and they produced something they were really proud of,” says Tupe.

While they didn’t win, Tupe says the important thing was they made films they could be proud of.

“We felt that their films had not been viewed through a Pasifika lens, so we created our own film competition. We want to create an environment in which Pasifika can thrive.

“Pacific learners come from a great tradition of storytelling. Across the Pacific, each of our islands have their own rich culture, legends, and histories. Our legends have helped us explain the world around us; explain our relationship to each other and to our environment; and remember important lessons.”

For most of Pacific history, Tupe says these stories were told orally and passed down from generation to generation.

“Changes in environment and lifestyle have meant that we must work harder and be more intentional to ensure that we are still passing on our stories and languages so that children of the diaspora do not become disconnected from their culture.”

Learning the craft of filmmaking

Poporazzi Productions invited facilitators from the film industry to help deliver a series of two-day workshops for up to five students from each participating school.

Ākonga learned the filmmaking process from storyboards and script writing through to production and editing. From that point, they could draw on mentoring from the organisers until they were ready to submit their films to the judges.

Schools have also enabled student work to be assessed for NCEA credits. 

“The participants were so creative, resilient, and resourceful,” says Tupe. “They were very aware of themselves and the world around them. The ideas they came up with in the workshops were brilliant, and original – they were telling the stories that only they could tell.”

The short films produced demonstrate innovation, expertise, and collaboration. Several films draw on the cultural identities of the students involved and are a genuine celebration of their identity, language and culture. 

Common themes that emerged related to family, cultural identity, a sense of belonging at school and at home, juggling school and family commitments, and the ways that students represented their culture.

Esera Tanoa’i and Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i of Poporazzi Productions. Photo by Focal Point Photos.

“Not only are the films of high quality, but they are also incredibly diverse. There are comedies, documentaries, dramas, animations, and even sci-fi,” says Tupe.

Gaining confidence

Entries were judged by leading Pacific filmmakers and actors, and winners were celebrated at glittering awards ceremonies in both Auckland and Rotorua, events that attracted more than 600 family, friends and community.

“We hope the confidence and the sense of belonging they gained will stay with them for a long time,” says Tupe. “We know that feeling accepted and included by your community is one of the indicators of a young person’s mental wellbeing, and acceptance and inclusion at school is an indicator for academic success.”

Tupe says one of their aims was to provide a platform for Pacific learners to express the challenges they have faced, as well as their hopes and aspirations.

“What we heard from parents and teachers was that the creative process helped unlock passions and talents that some students didn’t know existed, and the confidence they gained inspired deeper student engagement across the board.”

Each winner received an all-in-one video kit and an Oscar-style statuette, an “Alofa”.

“The award represents all the love that the youth have poured into their film,” says Esera.

Winning talk

Southern Cross Campus student Jessica, 17, was shortlisted in four categories and won the award for Best Sound.

“In my film, Inside, I included my Samoan culture. I think it’s important for the community to understand the heritage and where they come from, because your heritage makes up who you are. I want to go to university and study creative industries, and to continue this journey.”

Manurewa Intermediate student Josh received his award for Best Documentary from Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio.

Fourteen-year-old twins Keilani and Levi featured heavily at the awards, notching up a total of seven nominations and two major prizes. Levi won the award for Best Screenplay for a film he worked on with his sister – Siva Samoa! Opening Number. Keilani took out the top accolade, Best Film, for Siva Samoa! Taualuga!

Keilani says that while she loves to see her Samoan culture shared on the silver screen, she wants to push beyond that to producing films with Samoan characters and that go further than exploring culture.

“One thing I notice in animation is that usually when we have Polynesian protagonists, it’s embedded with Polynesian culture and, as much as I love that, I really like to see a Polynesian protagonist with no strings attached. I have my own gifts and I can create that kind of media myself.”

Levi and Keilani, students at Ormiston Junior College, want to encourage other young Pacific people to try filmmaking.

“If you’re waiting for the perfect script, don’t; just start making things even if it’s recreating things from movies you love, like a pop fiction recreation or an Avengers recreation. Just start doing it,” says Levi. “At the beginning I kept waiting for the perfect idea or the perfect script but eventually I just got going.”

“Don’t be afraid of making crap stuff because that’s how you’ll learn,” adds Keilani. “I feel like people don’t make things because they’re scared of how bad it’ll be. But if you don’t do that, you don’t refine your craft.”

Meli Kaveinga, who was born in Tuvalu and now teaches at Birdwood School in West Auckland, won the award for Best Supporting Mentor.

Meli says she goes the extra mile for ākonga because, “they are the next generation so we have to do the best we can and be good examples for them. If not us, then who?”

Funding for this project has come from the Pacific Education Innovation Fund as part of the Covid-19 Response and Recovery Fund (CRRF), and the workshops and competition will run again next year.

“We’re very grateful to be given the opportunity to run the programme for another year,” says Tupe.

“We hope to reach more Pacific learners, and to give this year’s participants the chance to build on the knowledge they’ve gained to enter again. A growth mindset is very important in the creative sector, as it is in education.”

Each winner received an Oscar-style “Alofa” statuette.

Winners 

Te Moana a Toi Bay of Plenty winners 

1. BEST DIRECTOR SENIOR: Roman Tukimaka – Katikati College – AIGA
2. BEST DIRECTOR JUNIOR: Isileli Mafile'o – Rotorua Intermediate
3. BEST ACTRESS: Annie Peni – Katikati College – Why Me?
4. BEST ACTOR: Desmond Mafile'o – Rotorua Boys High – 3 Skux Kasini comes to NZ
5. BEST SOUND: Lona Tautua'a – Katikati College – AIGA
6. BEST EDITING: Melina Pelesikoti – Katikati College – Battle of the FOBS pt.2
7. BEST DOCUMENTARY: Joseph O'Connor – Mt Maunganui College – Malo Uma
8. BEST PASIFIKA LANGUAGE: Henele Akauola – Rotorua Intermediate – 3 Skux Kasini
9. BEST SCHOOL: Katikati College
10. PEOPLE'S CHOICE: Desmond Mafile’o 
11. BEST FILM: Joseph O'Connor – Mt Maunganui College – Malo Uma
    
    
    

    Joseph from Mt Maunganui College, with Kaiako Clare Wilson, who leads the Pacific Group at Mount Maunganui College – Malo Uma

Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland winners 

1. BEST SCREENPLAY: Levi Fifita-Lamb – Ormiston Junior College – Siva Samoa! Opening Number 
2. BEST DIRECTOR SENIOR: Joey Schuster – St Paul’s College – Canned Justice!
   

   Joey from St Paul's College won the award for Best Director, Senior

3. BEST DIRECTOR JUNIOR: Tamah Falefitu – Avondale College
4. BEST ACTRESS: Perenise Lam – Māngere College – On Time
5. BEST ACTOR: Kuresa Tapula’aia – Mt Albert Grammar – Inside the mind of an Intellectual
6. BEST SOUND: Jessica Vili – Southern Cross Campus – Inside
7. BEST EDITING: Ruby Naufahu – Epsom Girls’ Grammar – Everything works out in the end
8. BEST DOCUMENTARY: Josh Engu – Manurewa Intermediate – MI Musical
9. BEST PASIFIKA LANGUAGE: James Fidow – De La Salle College – Back to the Family
10. BEST SCHOOL: Mt Albert Grammar
11. PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Kuresa Tapula’aia – Mt Albert Grammar – Hearts Apart
12. BEST FILM: Keilani Fifita-Lamb – Ormiston Junior College – Siva Samoa! Taualuga

 Special Awards 

PASIFIKA INNOVATION AWARD: St Pius X – Ice break 
BEST SUPPORTING MENTOR: Meli Kaveinga – Birdwood College