FIFO 2025. Lisa-Jane Taouma is a Samoan New Zealand writer, filmmaker, and television producer. This year, she is presenting Myths and Maidens in competition. A conversation with the director.
Lisa Taouma: A Well-Filled Mind or a Well-Made Mind? Expressing emotions with power is her craft. Lisa Taouma, who grew up in Faleasiu and Tulaele in Samoa before emigrating to Auckland, New Zealand, is a woman of strong character. She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Auckland, where she also taught Pacific arts. The title of her Master’s thesis in 1998 was Re-picturing Paradise: Myths of the Dusky Maiden.
Today, she is the director of Myths and Maidens, a film competing at the FIFO for its 22nd edition—almost a homecoming. For most people, it’s hard to remain indifferent in front of such a fafine. An advocate for Indigenous and female visibility in Oceania, she is also the director of the production company Tiki Lounge Prods and the web TV platform Coconet TV.
Lisa Taouma is no stranger to FIFO. In 2019, she presented Marks of Mana, the first film dedicated exclusively to female tattooing in the Pacific. In 2020, she was also a jury member—the only woman that year. This year, the director returns once again to make an impact and push for change.
For the artist, FIFO is an invaluable opportunity:
“FIFO is a very important festival, both globally and regionally, because it is one of the few festivals that gives such visibility to Pacific documentaries. For me, this is essential, as it has never been more crucial than today to tell our stories and have them recognized as globally significant.”
Lisa’s main goal is to amplify one voice—the voice of women. Ever determined, she continues to fight:
“I want to give visibility to the women of the Moana in my work, because we are still far from achieving equity in screen representation. The experiences of Pacific women have barely been explored, and Myths and Maidens offers a glimpse into the lives of women across the region.”
She asserts:
“Pacific women make up more than half of the region’s population, yet the challenges they face receive very little attention in audiovisual media. However, these challenges affect our entire Pacific societies—whether in terms of economy, education, employment, violence, or well-being. That is why I want to shine a light on Pacific women’s stories—to illustrate our shared struggles while celebrating the unique cultural identity of each island.”
“We must always carry our culture, heritage, and roots within us and celebrate them with pride.”
Today, if the audience at FIFO 2025 wonders why they should watch her documentary, the director responds without hesitation:
“I truly want to uplift Pacific women as the primary audience. I love telling stories on screen that not only share our narratives but also acknowledge that the women watching are an essential audience we are speaking to.”
For the Samoan-born filmmaker, it is rare for the Indigenous female viewer to be directly addressed. In Myths and Maidens, women from Tahiti, Hawaii, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, and Fiji speak to the entire fafine pasifika community.
As the director of Tiki Lounge, Lisa Taouma is driven by a deep desire to convey messages. For her, this work is not only rewarding but also a privilege—to share the stories of “our communities.”
A woman of conviction, she adds:
“We all know that Pacific peoples are among the best storytellers in the world, that we have immense talent in sports, music, arts, and culture. By sharing these narratives, we give significance to our stories and create connections between people.”
Confident in herself and proud of her roots, Lisa raises another shield—the one against colonialism. Presenting Myths and Maidens, she explains:
“A large part of this documentary highlights our perspectives and narratives, which differ from colonial narratives that have dictated what we were ‘supposed’ to be and what a Pacific woman should look like. This is part of an effort to decolonize mindsets within our own communities, affirming that 90% of Pacific women do not fit into these imposed norms. It’s about learning to celebrate and value who we truly are, both culturally and physically.”
A passionate defender of her region, the Pacific, she proudly declares it as the largest oceanic expanse in the world. Even more, she asserts:
“Our peoples are an integral part of this Moana Nui a Kiwa, which covers a vast portion of the Earth’s surface. Disney’s Moana films are among the highest-grossing American box office hits, and the world has connected to these stories about Pacific peoples and our region. Our stories remain largely unknown, but the films that have reached the international stage prove that we have a much greater impact than our size suggests. And this is just the beginning.”
With Oceania now at the heart of discussions—alongside women—Lisa Taouma hopes that everyone “finds hope.” Her message:
“Find hope within your communities. Value your stories, because they are just as important as those seen elsewhere in the world. Our Indigenous joy, our unique way of living as Pacific peoples, is an integral part of our resistance against certain ideologies emerging in the world.”
She signs off with:
“E lele le toloa ae ma’au i le vai”, which translates to “The toloa bird flies far, but it will always return to the ocean.”
Lisa shares:
“It is a powerful reminder that no matter where life takes us, we must always carry our culture, our heritage, and our roots within us—and celebrate them with pride.
French