Tina

Winner of the Audience Award at the 2025 Loft Film Fest!

A heartwarming celebration of Pasifika culture and the power of music, Tina tells the story of Samoan teacher Mareta Percival (Anapela Polata’ivao), who is struggling following a huge personal loss in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Reluctantly taking a job as a substitute teacher at an elite, wealthy private school, she is surprised to find children crying out for guidance, inspiration and love. Sensing an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of her students, Mareta draws on the musical traditions of her Samoan roots to form a rebellious, soulful student choir, bringing them together while unexpectedly rediscovering her own passion for being a teacher and a mother. (Dir. by Miki Magasiva, 2024, New Zealand, 125 mins., Not Rated)