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Hero image for Tala Pasifika - Brown Sugar

Tala Pasifika - Brown Sugar

Television (Full Length) – 1996

Tala Pasifika was a pioneering series of Pasifika TV dramas. One of six stories which screened in 1996, Brown Sugar is a short, upbeat tale of Tiuila (Tausili Mose) and Samuelu (Johnny Angel), two young hopefuls who meet in a music shop. Samuelu longs to be an actor, and sees his chance for fame when he meets a very forward TV producer. Tiuila belongs to an amateur vocal group who are relaxed, confident and proud of their South Auckland upbringing. They name their act Brown Sugar, before singing to a packed house. The script marked one of the earliest screen credits for Coconet creator Lisa Taouma.

So let me get this right. We need Polynesian lyrics, using Black American bass lines, but not accents, without forgetting we're women and pointing out the low economic background of our people...
– Tiuila (Tausili Mose)

Key Cast & Crew

Profile image for Lisa Taouma

Lisa Taouma

Writer

Profile image for Justine Simei-Barton

Justine Simei-Barton

Director, Casting

Generic Profile image for Johnny Angel (aka Johnny Eneliko Laulu)

Johnny Angel (aka Johnny Eneliko Laulu)

As: Samuelu

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David Blyth

Supervising Director

Generic Profile image for Tausili Mose

Tausili Mose

As: Tiuila

Generic Profile image for Matt Bowkett

Matt Bowkett

Cinematographer

See all 34 credits

Produced by

Logo for He Taonga Films

He Taonga Films

Acknowledgements

Made in association with the Short Film Fund of the NZ Film Commission, and NZ On Air

Music

Music composed by Karaitiana/Henderson

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