Maoriland Film Festival 2023 X Pasifika Film Makers
Last week and over the weekend, Maoriland Film Festival in the small seaside town of Ōtaki celebrated its 10 year anniversary - an annual event which is now the largest of its kind in the world.
Over 140 films were screened over five days made by film-makers from 150 indigenous nations. Amongst these nations were a number of Pasifika film makers from as far away as Hawai'i as well as NZ based Pacific islanders who were showing their films and connecting with other indigenous creatives.
'A Boy Called Piano, the powerful story of state abuse and the Luafutu family won the hearts of the festival, winning the 'Rimu' People's Choice for Best Feature Documentary' Award.
Tane Luafutu who is of Samoan/Maori heritage was there screening the critically acclaimed documentary in which he plays his grandfather - Fa'amoana John Luafutu - in his younger years.…more
Redefining and expanding Pasifika entertainment in Hollywood
By Mabel Muller
Photo above L-R Dinah Jane Hansen, Joshua Leomiti, Peter Filimaua, Kristian Fanene Schmidt & Dana LeDoux Miller at the Netflix API Excellence Celebration
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A group of Pacific film and entertainment professionals have banded together to redefine and expand Pasifika entertainment on the Hollywood front.
Pasifika Entertainment Advancement Komiti (P.E.A.K), set up in September 2022, is offering cultural consulting and referrals as well as development opportunities within film, television and gaming.
P.E.A.K executive director and co-founder Kristian Fanene Schmidt said the use of Pasifika stories, talent or culture in entertainment, needed to be more authentic.…more
“I Owe It to Myself to Get Well” - Al Sagapolutele
Al Sagapolutele was always the “big guy.” As a result of poor eating and drinking habits, he weighed as much as 485 lb. after college.
A few years ago, Sagapolutele suffered a heart attack, and treatment left him with three stents. He also had sciatic nerve pain, a herniated disk and spinal stenosis in two parts of his lower lumbar region. After multiple doctors told him he needed to lose weight, a desperate Sagapolutele saw a gastric-bypass surgeon. When a good friend questioned whether Sagapolutele had done everything possible to lose the weight naturally, Sagapolutele admitted he hadn’t.
A year and a half ago, Sagapolutele started one-on-one sessions with Dorian Shockey, owner of CrossFit Resurgens in Atlanta, Georgia. Though Sagapolutele had tried other gyms in the past, this was like talking to a friend, he said. He eventually progressed to the affiliate’s beginners course, then regular classes.
More than anything, Sagapolutele was struck by the sense of community and supportive atmosphere at CrossFit Resurgens.…more
Polyfest 2023 - Full Results
Cover image Thomas Wandstraat
Polyfest 2023 was back live and in full effect at the Manukau Sports Bowl again after 4 years of disruption and absence.
We're bringing you as many of the full Polyfest performances from the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa & Tonga stages as we can right here - check in over the next week or two to see if we caught your school in action.…more
THE UPSIDE DOWN OF POLYFEST 2023
By Leki Jackson-Bourke, edited by Tupe Lualua
On Friday the 10th of March 2023, the ASB Polyfest Samoan section was in full swing. Schools came well prepared with intricate choreography, dynamic formations and soulful harmonies bringing the Manukau velodrome to life.
It was beautiful to see students working collaboratively with tutors, teachers and parents and to see entire communities rallying behind their schools. If you grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau, you would know that school pride is high and in term one, the Auckland school calendar is all about Polyfest!
THE RESULTS:
For the co-ed section, Manurewa High School came away with a clean sweep taking out first place overall. Not too far behind them in second place was Avondale College and third place saw the return of past champions Ōtāhuhu College. Other schools also made their way up onto the podium this year: Papatoetoe High School, Māngere College, Hillary College and Tamaki College.
But one school in particular has become the talk of TikTok leaving everyone confused and asking questions.…more
Inside the Fight - Paulo Aokuso
Inside the fight w Paulo "Sweet P" Aoksuo Olympian and reigning Australasian light heavyweight champion is ready to take on the world 🌍
Check out his journey to becoming a professional fighter in the video above as he prepares to take on Robert Berridge and defend his Australasian title.
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On Saturday the 11th of March, Paulo captured the IBO Inter-continental Light Heavyweight title in style after beating Cuban boxer Yunieski Gonzalez.
Aokuso grew up in Mt Druitt, Sydney was accompanied by hip hop artists OneFour in his walkout.
He remains undefeated as a pro boxer at 4-0 and is aiming to beat Aussie boxing legend Jeff Fenech's record as the quickest Australian to win a world title. Watch this space ...
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Go behind the scenes with him here in the lead-up to his fight against Yunieski in the videos below -
Inaugural schools Pasifika Cricket teams
Before winter sports get back into full swing, we go out to visit the inaugural schools Pasifika cricket teams at the Rangatahi T20 cricket festival held ealier in the year.
"I think it's important for this event to grow just to give other little communities the chance to see that there is a career pathway for our Polynesian community in cricket" - Pasifika Girls Head Coach, Carol Fili
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Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air
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Cam Op & Interviewer - Penina Momoiseā
Editor - Sefa Taouma
The Night Agent trailer starring Tongan actress Luciane Buchanan
We love to see it! Another Poly in Hollywood!
Luciane Buchanan stars alongside Gabriel Basso in action movie 'The Night Agent' coming to Netflix on the 23rd of March.
In the meantime check out the trailer above.
The islands devastated by Climate Change while leading it's Charge on Justice
2023 so far has been another year our global climate reality has hit us hard.
The Auckland floods, Cyclone Gabrielle, snow in California, the storm in Brazil and climate disasters popping up around the world. Average citizens are coming to the reality that climate change is not only threat to peoples futures but a crisis of the present.
Vanuatu in a span of a week experienced two cyclones and a magnitude 6.6 earthquake. Cyclones that would normally occur once every few years has now devastated the islands twice, only days apart. Villages left without power, homes completely destroyed, roads ripped up and people left displaced. This is not a new occurrence for a nation like Vanuatu. They have been fighting climate change for the past decade, including restoring the island after 2015's Cyclone Pam.
Former Prime Minister of Vanuatu Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakausaid said in an interview, “Vanuatu is out of time. We are doing all we can, yet losing this battle for which we are not responsible.…more
Sean Manaea & Blake Sabol form the first Samoan battery in Major League Baseball History
San Francisco Giants latest recruits - Sean Manaea (left in picture above) and Blake Sabol have made history as the first Samoan battery (The pitcher and catcher together) in Major Baseball League history when they were paired together on the 8th April 2023 against the Kansas City Royals.
For Manaea and Sabol, who are both half-Samoan, the moment felt bigger than baseball.
"We've been talking about this this whole offseason," Sabol said. "This is where it counts; this is where it matters."
Said Manaea: "It's amazing. There's not too many of us Samoan baseball players.…more