Pacific filmmaking success

‘The path is real’: Academy honour celebrates Pacific filmmaking success

Award-winning filmmakers Tusi Tamasese and Vea Mafile'o have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, marking a major milestone for Pacific storytelling on the world stage.

The invitation recognises the pair's contributions to cinema and places them among the newest members of the organisation behind the Academy Awards.

Wellington-based Sāmoan filmmaker Tamasese, whose acclaimed films include The Orator and One Thousand Ropes, said he initially thought the invitation was a hoax before discovering it was genuine.

"It's an honour and a privilege," he said.

Tamasese believes the recognition extends far beyond individual success.

"Being invited alongside Vea Mafile'o, Te Arepa Kahi and others shows this isn't a one-off – there's a body of Pacific work being noticed. The message is, the path is real and open to anyone."

He said Pacific filmmakers are proving audiences around the world want authentic stories rooted in Pacific languages, cultures and identities.

Auckland-based Tongan filmmaker and producer Vea Mafile'o has built an acclaimed body of work through documentaries including For My Father's Kingdom, Lea Tupu'anga (Mother Tongue) and I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden. She is also producing the highly anticipated feature film about All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu, bringing one of the Pacific's most iconic sporting stories to the big screen.

Mafile'o said greater Pacific representation within the Academy would help ensure Pasifika stories remain authentic while creating more opportunities for future generations of filmmakers.