The Laemmle Royal in Santa Monica was the host of the Los Angeles premiere of international sensation, “Tinā.”
The film held its first-ever screening in Los Angeles on Thursday night. Writer and director Miki Magasiva was in attendance, alongside film stars Beulah Koale and Zac O’Meagher.
Before the screening, Magasiva told KTLA he was thrilled to bring his first feature-length film to audiences in the United States: “The Pacific Islander communities in the states have been supporting us the whole way, and I’m just so grateful to be here.”
Koale echoed his director’s sentiments and also spoke out how personal “Tinā” is to him and his Samoan heritage.
“This is the greatest project I’ve ever been a part of, and I’m not lying when I say that… I get to represent myself and my Samoan people.”
‘Moana 2’ director Dana Ledoux Miller praised the filmmakers. She also moderated a panel right after the movie was shown.
“This is a movie made by Samoans about Samoans… It’s exciting!” she said. “We’re taking over in a very real way.”
“Tinā” means ‘mother’ in the Samoan language. The New Zealand tear-jerker tells the story of a Samoan teacher named Mareta Percival, played by actress Anapela Polata’ivao. After the tragic loss of her daughter in a devastating earthquake, Percival reluctantly becomes a substitute teacher at an elite private school, using her love of music and teaching to find herself again, helping the kids in the process.
“Tinā” premiered in February in New Zealand and is now one of the top five highest-grossing Kiwi films ever made. It brought in more than $10 million at box offices across the Pacific. It also won several awards at the Hawaii International, Palm Springs International, and Seattle International Film Festivals.
The movie is playing at select theaters across the southland, for tickets and times click here.
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