Lord Fusitu'a - On the 'Leitis in Waiting' of Tonga

The plight of Tonga's LGBT community is under the spotlight with the released of a new documentary Leitis in Waiting. The film follows the life of transgender Tongan Joey / Joleen Mataele, who, along with other leitis, provides invaluable help to the royal family of the Kingdom, even while the country itself is subject to a rising tide of religious fundamentalism. Appearing in the documentary and travelling with it is Lord Fusitu'a, a noble, a member of the Tongan parliament, and a champion of the rights of LGBT people and women. Leitis in Waiting will play in Auckland this weekend as part of the 13th International Documentary Film Festival, known as Doc Edge.