Series Classification: PG (contains discussion of abuse in state care)
Forty-five years after his parents were wrongfully imprisoned for overstaying, a Tongan New Zealander finally admits the painful truth behind what really happened to his family during the Dawn Raids.
Tongan-born Tesimoni Fuavao came to Aotearoa with his family in 1975 for medical treatment. On a day out with a friend, Tesimoni had an unexpected run-in with the police that led to the wrongful arrests of both of his parents. Now Tesimoni shares the story that saddled him and his family with decades of shame and regret and exposes the deep wounds his community suffered at the hands of New Zealand Police.
Tesimoni Fuavao sits down to tell his story Photo: Loading Docs
Dawn Raids victim, Tesimoni Fuavao Photo: Loading Docs
Team Bios
Alice Lolohea (Director):
Director, Alice Lolohea Photo: Loading Docs
Alice Lolohea (Tongan) is currently working as a Journalist and Director for TVNZ1’s Tagata Pasifika programme. Covering a wide variety of issues, Alice directed the show’s half-hour special for the Polynesian Panthers 50th anniversary, and the 6-part Te Maeva Nui series Araura Enua: Road to Te Maeva Nui for the show's online platform TP+. She recently completed a director's attachment for the upcoming film Dame Valerie Adams: More Than Gold.
Sandra Kailahi (Producer):
Producer, Sandra Kailahi Photo: Loading Docs
Sandra Kailahi (Tongan/Kiwi) is a co-producer on the feature film, One Winter starring Julian Dennison, Minnie Driver and Rhys Darby. She co-created, co-wrote and produced the Tongan bilingual drama web series, Brutal Lives – Mo’ui Faingata’a and is in post-production on the second series. Sandra co-produced the documentary film, For My Father’s Kingdom which had its World Premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in 2019 and won Best Documentary at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. She produced the Loading Docs film, Meet Munch Jnr and the short film, The Messiah.
John Pulu – (Cultural Advisor):
John Pulu (Tongan/Fijian) is the face and co-host of TVNZ1’s Tagata Pasifika programme, where he has been a Journalist and Director for over 10 years. John also hosts the Radio 531pi Tongan afternoon show on Wednesdays and has worked as a cultural advisor on a number of film/television projects, including the Briar March-directed documentary Dame Valerie Adams: More Than Gold.
NZ Film Commission Photo: NZ Film Commission
Photo: Te Māngai Pāho
Photo: NZ On Air
