Three Wise Cousins

Overhearing his crush say she only likes "real island guys" gets Adam packing for Samoa in the first movie from Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa (aka SQS). Shot largely on location, the self-funded comedy co-stars Samoans Vito Vito and Fesuiai Viliamu as cousins, who teach Adam (newbie Neil Amituanai) the basics of island life. In this excerpt Adam wakes in an unexpected place, for a crash course in crushing cocoa. Three Wise Cousins made the top ten at the Kiwi box office in its opening weekend, and continued to win solid audiences, despite a minimal marketing budget. Stuff critic James Croot found it "colourful and charming".

In Samoa, like that lifestyle is so different. It was like a huge culture shock, adapting to the weather, just how they cook and how they live, it's a whole lifestyle that you have to learn. Yeah, it wasn't acting, it was my first time there, first time doing everything.

– Actor Neil Amituanai on filming in Samoa, in an RNZ International interview, 23 December 2015

Key Cast & Crew

Stallone Vaiaoga-Ioasa (SQS)

Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer

Jack Woon

Editor, Camera Assistant

Vito Vito

As: Mose

Neil Amituanai

As: Adam

Fesuiai Viliamu

As: Tavita

Gloria Ofa Blake

As: Mary