A Boy Called Piano (Nina Nawalowalo) New Zealand |

A Boy Called Piano
Nina Nawalowalo
New Zealand. 2023. 60 min

A Boy Called Piano – The Story of Fa’amoana John Luafutu tells the remarkable story of Fa’amoana’s time as a state ward in the 1960’s and the intergenerational impacts of these experiences. Growing from the long term collaboration with Fa’amoana Luafutu and the Luafutu Aiga, the film blends dramatised sequences alongside powerful interviews and beautiful aerial and underwater photography – translating Nina Nawalowalo’s celebrated visual storytelling to the screen for the first time. The Conch has been honoured to walk alongside Fa’amoana and the Luafutu Aiga as they courageously bring their untold story into the light, with the kaupapa of connecting directly with survivors – and illuminating the survivor experience in wider society.

“I began in innocence, new born, a blank page. The story was written, the story of thousands of children, has to be heard. Our History must be faced. May the truth set us free.” Fa’amoana John Luafutu

NINA NAWALOWALO (THE CONCH)

The Conch is a Wellington based Pacific film and theatre company, passionately committed to bringing untold stories into the light and harnessing the power of storytelling as a force for social change. The internationally acclaimed company was founded 20 years ago by Artistic Director Nina Nawalowalo ONZM and Executive Producer Tom McCrory, and has created a platform for the telling of Pacific stories across the globe: presenting award winning work at over 50 international festivals, delivering mentorship and advocacy programmes and training hundreds of emerging Pacific artists as part of their Conchus Youth programme. The Conch core team and alumni hold vast experience in delivering high level arts programmes and engaging with a vast range of stakeholders, partners, interns and mentees, audiences and institutions. We serve communities throughout Aotearoa and Oceania, with priority to our target communities: Fijian and Pacific communities, youth communities and survivor communities.

INTERVIEWS