tina
★★★★.5
starring: anapela polataivao, antonia robinson, beulah koale, and dalip sondhi
​
REVIEWER: lyall carter
Mareta, 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.
When it comes to cinematic experiences, Tina is one of the most memorable I’ve ever had. The premiere was held in the sold out ornate Civic theatre (where Peter Jackson shot some of King Kong) and the night was filled with choir, chanting, and a fistful of chee hoo’s. And while the narrative structure isn’t absolutely perfect, Tina is one of those rare films that is an experience just as much as it is a film - you need to see it with a crowd, it’s that kinda film. Filled to the brim with passion, tears, and laughter too, Tina is one of those rare and precious cinematic treasures that needs to be seen in a crowd on the biggest screen you can find.
​
Samoan teacher Mareta Percival is struggling following a huge personal loss in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Reluctantly taking on the role of substitute teacher at an elite, wealthy private school - she is surprised to find children crying out for guidance, inspiration and love.
​
Using the symphony of her culture to empower her students, she forms a choir, bringing them together while unexpectedly rediscovering her passion again for being a teacher and mother.
​
Narratively Tina follows similar beats to other films of its ilk - an outsider coming to teach in an environment with people that are suspicious of them but ultimately the experience changes them and themselves along the way. But the point of difference here with Tina is that the story is grounded in incredible loss - the death of Mareta’s daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes.
​
And Tina packs a mighty punch as director Miki Magasiva explores themes of loss and grief, cultural bias and intolerance, and the transformative power of the arts. It will break your heart and put it back together all within the film’s running time. But the small critique I would have is that it needed a little firmer direction in pulling all of those narrative threads and themes together.
Filled to the brim with passion, tears, and laughter too, Tina is one of those rare and precious cinematic treasures that needs to be seen in a crowd on the biggest screen you can find.
★★★★.5
