Tina
- Sunday, Oct 12, 2025, 2:45pm
Screening location: SIFF Cinema Uptown – 511 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle
TINA is an uplifting drama and a heartwarming tear-jerker that follows Samoan teacher Mareta Percival (Anapela Polataivao). After the tragic loss of her daughter in a devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, Mareta reluctantly becomes a substitute teacher at an elite private school. To her surprise, she finds students longing for guidance, inspiration, and love. Drawing on her cultural symphony to empower her students, she starts a choir that unites them and helps her rediscover her passion for teaching and motherhood.
Winner of the Golden Space Needle Award for Best Film at the 2025 Seattle International Film Festival and the Best Narrative Feature Audience Award at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival.
“…a cathartic and joyously magical movie that’s likely to fully entertain and entrance cinemagoers of all ages.” James Croot, The Press (NZ)
“Polataivao’s commanding performance is Tina’s crucial solidifying element. It’s a constant source of rich drama…” Luke Buckmaster, The Guardian