PISA - Pacific Islands Screen Artists

PISA Ipu Ki is BACK for 2026! ☕️👏🏾

Our first session of the year is happening online and you do not want to miss it! 

📅 Monday 27th April
🕖 7pm Online
🔒 PISA Members Only

Spots are limited so make sure you register through the link in our bio before it fills up. See you there 🙌🏾

🚨 Calling Pasifika writers across Aotearoa ✍🏽🌺

PISA is selecting 3 Pacific writers to join a comedy writing in-person masterclass with Emmy-nominated writer Michael J. Weithorn.

This opportunity is best suited to experienced writers who are already comfortable working with screenwriting software and looking to deepen their craft.

📍 Location: University of Auckland
📅 Date: Saturday 21 March

If you’re serious about taking your comedy writing to the next level, this is a great opportunity 🎬

Apply via the link in bio 🔗
Applications close 10 March, 5pm

Planning ahead with the PISA KOMITI ✨

#2026

📸 Raymond Sagapolutele

Kua manako ke tuku atu e tau manatu fakaalofa ke he kapitiga fakahele ko Aroha. Fakaaue ke haana a moui gahua malolō ke fakapuloa e tau tala mo e tau kifaga.

It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Aroha Awarau on 14 January 2026 🕊️

Aroha was a passionate, fearless storyteller and a deeply loved member of our screen community. A proud Niuean (Avatele, Tuapa), Samoan (Sapapaliʻi), and Māori (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Maru) creative, his work was grounded in service, representation, and storytelling with purpose.

Aroha navigated the challenging media landscape from journalism to theatre to film - to tell the stories of our people, ensure our people were looked after in these spaces and to make sure we had a good time.

A prolific artist with a heart for community, Aroha believed deeply in the power of our village to uplift each other and our stories. His unmistakable island laugh, generosity, and voice for our people will be forever missed.

Aroha will lie at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Kōtuku (92 Simpson Road, Ranui, Auckland 0614) from Thursday until midday Friday. All are welcome to come and pay their final respects. Family and friends are welcome to stay at the kura on Thursday night. Please note that you will need to be welcomed before entering the Marae and there will be no entry after dark.

Powhiri times are as follows:
15th Jan: 4.30pm, 6.30pm
16th Jan: 8am, 10am, 12pm.

Koha Details:
Bank: Westpac
Account name: T A Joseph
Account number: 03 0547 0945171 000

🎄 Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a safe, relaxing holiday season. 🎄

Please note that the PISA Office will be closed during this period and will reopen on 16 January 2026.

LEA TUPU’ANGA | MOTHER TONGUE LA Screening

A special LA screening of Lea Tupuʻanga / Mother Tongue, a New Zealand short film that’s now officially in the Academy Screening Portal for Oscar consideration. This is a huge moment for Tongan storytelling! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Written by and starring PISA MEMBER (The Night Agent, Chief of War), and directed by award-winning Tongan filmmaker PISA KOMITI MEMBER (For My Father’s Kingdom, Panthers, Lomu), the film has been making waves around the world.

If nominated, this would be the first Tongan film in history recognised in the Live Action Short Film category. Two Tongan women leading a project at this level is rare, powerful, and something we want our community to experience firsthand 🇹🇴

The LA screening will feature cultural performance and a Q&A with the creative team. It’s a chance for the Tongan and Pasifika community in LA to connect, uplift each other, and be part of this historic moment for Pacific cinema.

Monday, 8th Dec, 7pm.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lea-tupuanga-mother-tongue-community-screening-tickets-1976417314391

Spread the word 📢📢📢

PISA EOY BBQ x GAMES 2025

What a fantastic way to wrap up the year with exciting games and plenty of laughter. Great to see the competitive spirit from PISA members over the weekend. 👀😅

Thank you for having us & PISA GM Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa the games master 🎲

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Reminder for all PISA MEMBERS to RSVP 🚨

PISA x BBQ x GAMES

Get ready to celebrate the end of a fantastic year with PISA at our ‘End of Year BBQ and Games’ event! We’ll have thrilling games, lots of laughs, and a tasty meal to share.

Event Details:
🗓 Saturday, Nov 29th, 2025
⌚ 11 am - 3 pm
📍 Taro Patch Creative, 9 Dunnotar Road, Papatoetoe, Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland)

Come and celebrate the end of the year with us and fellow PISA members. We look forward to ending the year with our PISA family with some good food and games!

Don’t miss out on the fun!

Please RSVP by the End of today for catering purposes - https://www.pisa.org.nz/event-details/pisa-bbq-games-2025

Exclusively for PISA members only.

Celebrating our Pacific Islands Screen Artists ✨

We want to congratulate all nominees for awards and those who took home awards over the weekend at the 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

New Zealand On Air Best Children’s Programme:
First Place
Written by Bianca Seinafo, Mario Faumui (PISA Members) & Leki Jackson-Bourke
Directed by Damon Fepulea’i, Bianca Seinafo
Produced by Eileen Lee & Hope Papali’i (PISA Members)
Tikilounge Productions / Coconet TV / TVNZ+

Best Costume Design - Feature:
Liz McGregor (PISA Member)
The Convert
Jump Film and Television / Brouhaha Entertainment / 2024

Best Reality Series:
The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes
Ben Bayly, Adrian Stevanon (PISA Member), Sam Blackley, Philip Smith and Briar Coleman
Great Southern Television / TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

Equity New Zealand Best Actress in a Feature:
Anapela Polata’ivao
Tinā
The Brown Factory / 2025

Reporter of the Year:
Indira Stewart
TVNZ+ In-Depth
TVNZ 1 & TVNZ+

New Zealand On Air Best Pasifika Programme:
We The South: The Manukau Rovers Story
Mark Malaki-Williams, Ross Karl
Sky Sport

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PISA presents “This is Our Year” Workshop series. Calling all Pacific Islands Screen Artists! See you in 2026, ready to go with new ideas and a plan to refine them and work towards bringing them to life.

Join us for the FINAL workshop of the ‘This is our Year’ series. It’s all about Island Time meets Writing Time. Refining your writing process and habits. Guest Speakers: David Mamea, Gina Cole and Suli Moa.

Island Time meets Writing Time - Refining your writing process and habits.

Finishing up our workshop series by reconnecting with your stories and redesign or refine your writing routine with tools grounded in Pacific perspectives. You’ll learn what’s worked for other writers and explore what could work for you.

Register now to secure your spot:
https://www.pisa.org.nz/event-details/pisa-presents-this-is-our-year-workshop-series-4

🗓️ 22nd Nov - THIS SATURDAY
⌚️10:30 - 1:30 pm
📍St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont St, Ponsonby.
🚗 Parking available on site.
💻 Zoom link also available.

Delicious Refreshments provided.

Brought to you with the support of NZ on Air.