Vela Manusaute

Vela Manusaute is a Niuean 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.[1]

Vela Manusaute
Born
Niue
Occupation(s)Writer, Director

Background

Vela is part-Niuean and part-Samoan; he was born in Niue and lived in his village Mutalau before his family moved to New Zealand in 1979.[2] He graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama Scholl in 1995 with a Diploma in Acting, and was their first Niuean to graduate.[3][4] In 2002 he founded the theatre and music group Kila Kokonut Krew.[4]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Tattooist Actor - Taxi Driver 2 Television
2010 Matariki Actor - Russ Television
2013 The Factory Executive producer, actor - Mason Web series
2018 The Messiah Director Short film
2020 Educators Actor - Vela Television
2020 Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a Director Television

Awards

In 1997 he won the Best Male Comedy award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards as one half of comedy duo The Brownies.[5]

With Anapela Polataivao he received the New Generation Award for theatre at the 2014 Arts Foundation Awards.[6]

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.[1]

References
  1. "All-Tongan cast in pioneer bilingual drama series in NZ". RNZ. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. "Vela Manusaute". Little Island Press. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  3. "Graduate". www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. "Vela Manusaute". NZ on Screen. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  5. "Vela Manusaute's Biography". The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  6. "2014 Westpac New Zealand Arts Awards recipients announced". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Archived from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2017.


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