Documentary portrayal of a Sāmoan author becomes deeper story about mental health

Director Kimberlee Bassford set out to make a film about a respected Sāmoan writer, but instead found herself confronting deep-rooted taboos around mental illness in Pacific communities.

The highly anticipated documentary "Before the Moon Falls," an intimate portrayal of Sāmoan novelist and poet Papali'i Sia Figiel, made its debut at Auckland’s Doc Edge Festival over the weekend.

Hawaiian filmmaker Bassford tells Carolanne Toetu’u on Pacific Days that she first met Figiel in 2016, during the launch of her novel, Free Love, in Honolulu. But Bassford’s connection to the writer goes back even further.

“The seeds of the film started 27 years ago, because that was when I was a college student, and I studied abroad in Sāmoa.

“I read Sia Figiel's books then, they were assigned reading, and they're just books that really stay with you, I really connected to them on many levels,” she says.

The film was shot over eight years, but in May 2024, just two months after wrapping up filming, Bassford received devastating news that Figiel was arrested and charged with murder.

Watch director Kimberlee Bassford's full interview below.

“It was shocking. I had just seen Sia two months prior in Sāmoa, that was supposed to be the final shoot for the film.”

Bassford says when she left Figiel, everything appeared to be going well, and she felt confident about finishing the film.

Figiel is accused of murdering her friend, Professor Caroline Sinavaiana Gabbard, and her trial has been postponed to 18 August 2025 to allow the prosecution time to review her extensive medical and mental health records from the United States, according to the Sāmoan Observer.

The director says the biggest hurdle in making the film was how much the story kept evolving.

It was originally intended to be a portrait of Figiel as an artist and activist, but its direction took new turns when she began speaking candidly about her mental health struggles.

“The greatest challenge was that the story kept changing on me. I wanted to make a film about her because I admired her writing, and then she started opening up about her mental health struggles, so then it became about that,” she says.

Bassford, who is not a mental health professional, brought in expert advisers to ensure the film handled the subject with care, while still telling a humanising story.

Watch the trailer for Before the Moon Falls below.

“People kind of labelled her as a warrior, and I think she was uncomfortable sometimes with that label. I want this film to show people that it's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to show people that you feel vulnerable at times, and I think in Pasifika cultures, it's so communal and it's so beautiful.

“But I think people don't want to bring attention to themselves, because they don't want to reflect badly, maybe on their family or their village, but by doing that and ignoring things that are bothering you, they will eventually build up.

“So I just hope this film can spark conversations and help people really connect with others in a more honest and authentic way.”

Bassford acknowledges the sensitivity of the topic but believes the film offers an opportunity to address it openly.

“We've been following her for eight years prior to what happened, and so it's a window into her story, and you realise it's not just black and white, but there's a lot of complexities that she was struggling with.

“Not to say that excuses what happened, but I think it just helps people realise there's complexities, and I would love them to know that about Sia and her story,” Bassford says.

For information on screenings, please visit the Doc Edge website.