Lala Rolls (born ) is a Fijian-born New Zealand film director, producer and editor. Much of her work explores Polynesian and

Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

culture.

Biography

Rolls was born in Fiji to Australian and Dutch parents, and immigrated to New Zealand in 1981, aged 17 years old. She studied psychology at the

University of Otago , image_name = University of Otago Registry Building2.jpg , image_size = , caption = University clock tower , motto = la, Sapere aude , mottoeng = Dare to be wise , established = 1869; 152 years ago , type = Public research collegiate ...

, completing a bachelor of arts degree. She worked in early childhood education and travelled overseas, including to study scriptwriting at London's

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It o ...

. In 1992, Rolls returned to New Zealand and worked on a number of short film productions, including a series of six shorts, ''Tall Stories,'' and her first short film, ''Olives'', which she wrote and directed in 1994. In 2006 she worked on a children's science show, ''QTV,'' for the Ministry of Education. Her largest project has been ''Tupaia's Endeavour,'' a documentary film which traces the journey of Tupaia, the Tahitian high priest navigator who agreed to navigate for

Captain Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and ...

and came to New Zealand in 1769. In 2021, Rolls directed a digital animation experience, ''Ngā Tohunga Whakatere: The Navigators,'' telling the story of New Zealand’s early navigators. The production was shown on the dome screen at Space Place at Carter Observatory in Wellington. Rolls is the founding director of film company Island Productions Aotearoa.

Awards and recognition

* International Jury Prize: ''Tupaia's Endeavour'' at 2013 FIFO – Oceanian International Documentary Film Festival (Tahiti) * Nominated for Best Editing, Documentary/Factual Programme: for ''Lovely Rita'' at

2008 Qantas Film and Television Awards The 2008 Qantas Film and Television Awards were held on Saturday 13 September 2008 at the Civic Theatre in Auckland. For the first time, the craft awards were presented separately to the rest of the awards, at an earlier luncheon ceremony at the ...

* Nominated for Best Editing – Non-Factual: for ''The Hothouse'', episode 3 at 2007 Qantas Television Awards * Nominated for Best Editing – Factual: for ''Flight Of The Conchords: A Texan Odyssey'' at 2007 Qantas Television Awards * Nominated for Best Editing: for ''The Insiders Guide to Love'' at 2006 Qantas Television Awards * Special Mention: ''Children of the Migration'' at 2005 DOCNZ Documentary Film Festival

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rolls, Lala Living people University of Otago alumni Fijian emigrants to New Zealand New Zealand film directors 1960s births Alumni of the Royal College of Art