The Aotearoa-made film Tinā has officially hit a HUGE milestone - smashing past the $5 million mark at the New Zealand box office.
Director and writer Miki Magasiva’s local hit now joins the ranks of Aotearoa classics like 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople', 'Boy', 'The World’s Fastest Indian', 'Once Were Warriors', and 'Whale Rider' as one of the few Kiwi-made films to cross this landmark in the last decade.
Andrew Cozens, Marketing Director at Madman Entertainment NZ (the film’s distributor), shared the milestone on LinkedIn last night, while Australian premieres for the film were proving a real hit.
According to NZ Film, ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ (2016) leads the local box office with $12.1 million, followed by ‘Boy’ (2010) at $9.3 million - both directed by Taika Waititi.
Then there’s ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ (2005) with just over $7 million, ‘Once Were Warriors’ (1994) at $6.8 million, and ‘Whale Rider’ (2003) at $6.4 million.
That puts Tinā in an impressive 6th place, overtaking a cult favourite, ‘Sione’s Wedding’ (2006), which earned just over $4 million.
The film follows Samoan teacher Mareta Percival (played by Anapela Polataivao) as she navigates her life after tragically losing her daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes.
When she lands a job as a relief teacher at an elite school, she finds herself connecting with a group of students who need a bit of heart, humour, and guidance, leading them to the Big Sing choir competition.
It’s no surprise the film’s mix of wholesome, tear-jerking and comedic storytelling has earned its spot in the top 10 Aotearoa films of all time.
This milestone comes as the film is set to hit screens in Australia on May 1st.
