Vela Manusaute is a

Niue Niue (, ; niu, Niuē) is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, northeast of New Zealand. Niue's land area is about and its population, predominantly Polynesian, was about 1,600 in 2016. Niue is located in a triangle between Tong ...

an writer and director. He is the creator and writer of New Zealand's first bilingual English- Tongan television series, ''Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a''.

Background

Vela is part-Niuean and part- Samoan; he was born in Niue and lived in his village

Mutalau Mutalau is one of the fourteen villages of Niue. Its population at the 2017 census was 100, up from 97 in 2011. History Overview It was previously known as Ululauta and Matahefonua. ''Ululauta'' and ''Matahefonua'' both mean "head of the land". ...

before his family moved to New Zealand in 1979. He graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama Scholl in 1995 with a Diploma in Acting, and was their first Niuean to graduate. In 2002 he founded the theatre and music group

Kila Kokonut Krew Kila Kokonut Krew is a theatre company and music producer in Auckland, New Zealand. They have produced 12 music albums, a web series, a TV skit series as well as theatre productions. The company was started by Toi Whakaari graduates Anapela Po ...

Filmography

Awards

In 1997 he won the Best Male Comedy award at the

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were the main theatre awards in New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, from 1992–2014, and have been succeeded by the Wellington Theatre Awards. Established in 1992 and sponsored by law firm Chapman Tripp, ...

as one half of comedy duo The Brownies. With

Anapela Polataivao Anapela Polataivao is a New Zealand actor, writer, and director of stage and screen. Background Polataivao was born in Samoa and has heritage from Vailoa, Vaiusu, Fagae'e and Safune. She grew up in South Auckland. Career Polataivao began ...

he received the New Generation Award for theatre at the 2014 Arts Foundation Awards. In 2020 he won the Best Screenplay and Best Art Directions awards for his short film ''The Messiah'' at the Pacific Rims Film Festival 2020.

References

External links

* * Year of birth missing (living people) Niuean writers Niuean people of Samoan descent New Zealand film directors Niuean emigrants to New Zealand Living people Toi Whakaari alumni {{Niue-bio-stub