NZ film 'Tinā' tells Samoan teacher's moving story after loss in CHCH earthquake Photo: 818
Written and directed by Miki Magasiva, Tinā takes you on an emotional ride through the life of Mareta Percival, played by Anapela Polataivao.
Percival is a teacher and Samoan mother whose world is shattered by the loss of her only daughter in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. The film is a poignant portrayal of her journey through the dark valleys of sorrow and struggle, and eventually finding a degree of peace.
Percival's story unfolds three years after her daughter is killed. She is adrift, almost invisible to the world and weighed down by grief, unable to move forward. Percival struggles to meet the barest of needs, including the looming threat of having her power cut off.
Anapela Polataivao plays Mareta Percival in the new film Tinā Photo: Supplied
Desperate, she seeks help from her nephew, who works at Work and Income New Zealand. He arranges an opportunity for her to do relief teaching at a prestigious school. The affluent, predominantly white, institution represents a completely foreign world to Percival.
Despite the initial culture shock Mareta finds her place at the school and starts a choir. Her new students are soon captivated by the beauty of Samoan music.
One of the most powerful elements of Tinā is the exploration of cultural stigma, particularly when it comes to the Samoan tendency to avoid addressing personal struggles. In Samoan culture, there's an unspoken belief that one must simply "get on with life," leaving little room for emotional vulnerability. Percival grapples with this very dilemma, as she hesitates to attend free counseling sessions, driven by a deeply ingrained fear that seeking help is a form of weakness. But as the story progresses, we see Percival slowly confronting her fears.
It's a moment of awakening when one of her students tells her that he wishes he could be as brave as she is. This pivotal conversation inspires Percival to face her emotions head-on, opening the door to healing. She attends her first counseling session, marking a powerful turning point in her journey.
As the film delves into the relationship between Percival and her students, we are introduced to Sophie, a young girl scarred by the earthquake. Sophie's character arc is particularly moving. Her internal struggle to hide her physical scars mirrors Percival's emotional wounds.
Percival's struggles continue, as she faces prejudice from a student who has her removed from her teaching position, and also has to deal with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Besides Polataivao in the lead, the film features Beulah Koale ( "Hawai'i Five-0", "Next Goal Wins" ) and Nicole Whippy ("Outrageous Fortune", "Shortland Street").
The title Tinā is not just a word; it's an embodiment of what Percival represents to her community. In Samoan culture, "Tinā" is a formal, respectful term for a female elder, a mother figure to all who look up to her. And in this film, Percival is that figure, guiding her students not only through their choir practice but through life's greatest challenges.
Tinā is a soul-stirring journey of loss, healing, and cultural unity.
This is a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
