Fijian-Tongan film maker selected for global placement

Pacific film-maker Litia Tuiburelevu has been selected for the New Zealand Film Commission’s International Placement Initiative and will soon begin working with the global film company, Protagonist Pictures, in London.

Tuiburelevu says the opportunity marks a major turning point in her creative career after transitioning from law to film-making.

In an interview with Elenoa Turagaiviu on PMN Fiji, Tuiburelevu says, "I'm really excited.

"It feels a little bit surreal. I've always hoped that I would get an opportunity to maybe go overseas and work in film one day."

Tuiburelevu, who is of Fijian, Tongan, and pālangi descent, was born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, moving between Aotearoa and Fiji. Her family originates from the Bau District of Tailevu Province in Fiji.

She has directed acclaimed works, including the documentary series, Still Here, which explores how Pacific families resist gentrification in inner-city Auckland, released in 2023, and her first short film, Boy Eats God, which is in post-production.

Through her placement in London, she will join the development and acquisitions team at Protagonist Pictures, gaining insight into the global distribution and commercial side of film-making.

"I'm going there with a white belt mentality," Tuiburelevu says. "I want to understand how to marry creative decisions with commercial ones, how do you hold a vision but scale it globally?"

Tuiburelevu’s journey reflects a wider movement of indigenous film-makers reclaiming storytelling on their own terms.

“For me, Indigenous storytelling has always been important. It’s about sovereignty over the narrative, the process of creating it, and how it’s released into the world.”

Her legal background has provided her with the discipline, writing skills, and negotiation tools that are now proving vital in the creative industries.

While the film industry presents challenges, such as job insecurity and funding delays, Tuiburelevu highlights the support she has received from Pacific creative networks like PISA (Pacific Islands Screen Artists) and the NZ Film Commission, which have been instrumental in her growth.

Watch Litia Tuiburelevu's interview below.

“Everything starts and ends with relationships,” she says. “As Pacific storytellers, that duty of care goes beyond the screen.”

Tuiburelevu encourages young Pacific creatives to start where they are, using the tools available to them.

“You can do things on your phone and upload them. Showcase your creative skill and keep working that muscle. Everyone has their own path, trust the timing of your own journey.”