A woman, grieving her daughter's death in the Christchurch quakes, becomes a substitute teacher at an elite school. Unexpectedly, she discovers students lacking guidance and care, prompting ... Read allA woman, grieving her daughter's death in the Christchurch quakes, becomes a substitute teacher at an elite school. Unexpectedly, she discovers students lacking guidance and care, prompting her to provide inspiration and support.A woman, grieving her daughter's death in the Christchurch quakes, becomes a substitute teacher at an elite school. Unexpectedly, she discovers students lacking guidance and care, prompting her to provide inspiration and support.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
10carleeee
This was an absolutely beautiful film, I can't think of a single criticism.
The storyline, the cast, the music....what an incredible combination of near perfection.
It hit me right in the feels several times, got the hayfever symptoms running in the cinema but luckily it was dark in there!
Although not based on a specific true story, it gathered real-life scenarios to create something so beautiful.
The young cast were incredible performers and assembled with no "big names", aside form Nicole Whippy.
The biggest message I felt they tried to portray was that people can be hurting whether they're poor or priviliged, brown or white...I've never seen a film where I wanted to reach out and hug so many characters.
The storyline, the cast, the music....what an incredible combination of near perfection.
It hit me right in the feels several times, got the hayfever symptoms running in the cinema but luckily it was dark in there!
Although not based on a specific true story, it gathered real-life scenarios to create something so beautiful.
The young cast were incredible performers and assembled with no "big names", aside form Nicole Whippy.
The biggest message I felt they tried to portray was that people can be hurting whether they're poor or priviliged, brown or white...I've never seen a film where I wanted to reach out and hug so many characters.
Moving and awe inspiring. It was my turn to choose the movie night, movie and I picked Tina. While my partner doesn't like drama style movies he looked to me half way through and said "I love your choice, this is funny" because all New Zealanders know the kiwi humour and we had some good laughs through the movie. The moving story, humour and good acting make this such a great movie for all to enjoy. The story is a beautiful tale of culture, appreciation, perseverance, following your passion and finding healing. I cried a few times and so did another woman on the right of us. We were moved. This film is truly wonderful, a must watch.
I honestly went to watch this movie because i had some time to spend before catching a flight. I had not read the plot before and when i saw the movies'names, i said "why not this one, there's nothing else interesting anyway".
And OMG, i was so wowed by this movie.
The story is so sad but so wonderful at the same time. I'm not much of a cryer in front of movies but this one gets you in tears.
The acting is so good. The main character is so endearing, reminding us our mothers from the Pacific islands, who can be grumpy while loving us (we all know the giant flip flop :) ).
This really is a must-see movie ! Go and watch Tina, you will not be disappointed.
And OMG, i was so wowed by this movie.
The story is so sad but so wonderful at the same time. I'm not much of a cryer in front of movies but this one gets you in tears.
The acting is so good. The main character is so endearing, reminding us our mothers from the Pacific islands, who can be grumpy while loving us (we all know the giant flip flop :) ).
This really is a must-see movie ! Go and watch Tina, you will not be disappointed.
This film was a tear jerker and absolutely hilarious. You'd go from having cramps from belly laughs to sobbing and blowing your nose into the serviettes you got for your oily popcorn hands. So inspiring and full of talent! Also recognised that parts were shot at my high school so it was so nostalgic.
The acting was awesome but the COMPOSITIONS??? PHENOMENAL!!!
Loved the local talent that was showcased in this film & loved the dedication to Pua.
This film is honestly so deep and profound and touched on so many issues. You'd be silly to miss watching this one. It's worth all the hype and the wait.
Amazing! Just amazing. So, so proud.
The acting was awesome but the COMPOSITIONS??? PHENOMENAL!!!
Loved the local talent that was showcased in this film & loved the dedication to Pua.
This film is honestly so deep and profound and touched on so many issues. You'd be silly to miss watching this one. It's worth all the hype and the wait.
Amazing! Just amazing. So, so proud.
This brought back so many memories and emotions from such a painful time. There's a particular weight that comes with stories rooted in real-life trauma, especially when they hit so close to home. For many of us who lived through the Christchurch earthquakes, whether directly or indirectly, the memory of that time is etched into our bones. This film doesn't shy away from that reality - instead, it embraces the pain and the beauty in what followed: the resilience and the community connection and support. What truly stood out for me, though, was the direction. This is a great debut from Samoan director Miki Magasiva. There's something incredibly special about seeing Pasifika voices take the lead in telling stories of Aotearoa, especially when it's done with such maturity, sensitivity, and visual storytelling skill. Magasiva's direction is confident and deliberate. He lets the silences speak, gives the actors room to breathe, and allows the emotional impact to build naturally. Thank you to the beautiful cast and crew for bringing this story to life. Thank you, Miki Magasiva, for stepping into the spotlight with such a strong, moving debut. And thank you for making space for our stories, our pain, and our hope to be seen and honoured.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- NZ$4,300,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $5,271,522
- Runtime2 hours 4 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
