A Christchurch story has opened the Hawai’i International Film Festival. NZ director Miki Magasiva’s directorial debut had its world premiere in Honolulu with a sold-out screening on October 3. It’s a distinctly local tale, following Christchurch teacher Mareta Percival – played by Anapela Polataivao ONZM ( Our Flag Means Death , The Breaker Upperers ) – grappling with the death of her daughter in the 2011 earthquake.
After the tragedy she’s forced to return to her old profession, taking up a temporary position at one of the city’s private schools, where she forms a choir (led off-screen by the highly respected choir master Tuilagi Dr Igelese Ete) and begins to heal..
