Tinâ

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.

We saw this movie today. We lost our home to the same earthquake and so we were bound to be affected. This film touches so many sensitive areas but in a peaceful and loving manner. When there is so much anger around it is good to be touched by the emotions born of caring for each other. This film has been made with love for humanity, but it shows a way back for all people to be able to put aside their differences and find that common thread. It shows that the poor can help the wealthy to overcome their difficulties and their grief. This was the most emotional film we have seen in a very long while. This film makes one proud to be a person from the Pacific. I can only recommend this film.

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.

Awesome movie with a great story, good acting, and excellent casting. It was very emotional and funny-truly a two-hour emotional roller coaster. Being Polynesian, I couldn't be prouder. It was a beautiful blend of great singing and island culture that really hit home. A masterpiece in my eyes. One of the greatest movies I've seen in a long time. These are the kinds of movies that stay with you, that make you feel something when you leave the theatre. Well done, guys-this one's something special. Thank you so much for this, I will be raving to all my friends and family to get behind and make this movie go viral 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

Absolutely moving from start to finish.

Everything was acted incredibly. Anapela Polataivao was absolutely on point. Perfect timing for lines, perfect expressions, absolutely felt this powerhouse of strength. My friend looked to see if it was based on a true story - it wasn't, so I absolutely want to go and hunt down more from writer Miki Magasiva. Amazing story which flowed fantastically. Came out of it feeling at once sad and uplifted, angry at the system which is still so broken. Justice was not served for that community, but it made a difference in the lives of a couple of kids. Maybe that's all we can do - one mind at a time. Maybe that's not good enough.