The movie, “One Thousand Ropes,” opened in theaters in Samoa and New Zealand this week and has generally been well received.
Director/Writer Tusi Tamasese was born and educated in Samoa then studied film making in New Zealand.
Tusi, brother Maea, his uncle HOS Tuiatua, a relative & niece Lei Keil Mai.
Now living in Wellington, New Zealand, the soft spoken and shy Tamasese seems to be the darling of the New Zealand Film Commission.
OTR, Tamasese’s second full length movie, (Orator was his first) was financed with a more than $NZ 1 million grant from the Commission.
Some who know something about movies think “One Thousand Ropes” will win a foreign movie award.
The cast is all Samoan as is the language of the movie.
It was chosen to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival last month, which is quite a feat for an all Samoan language film.
KHJ News Director Monica Miller talked with Tamasese after the Auckland premiere of “One Thousand Ropes” and asked him how he feels about the reception that his movie has received.Play Audio
Distributors of “One Thousand Ropes” in New Zealand say Regal Cinemas which operates the local theater are waiting to see ticket sales before committing to showing the movie here.
