LOIMATA, The Sweetest Tears

Filmmaker Anna Marbrook (Waka Warriors) followed a Samoan/Kiwi family on a pilgrimage to Samoa, to confront a source of decades long pain. South Auckland-raised Lilo Ema Siope became a waka builder, and captained Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr's waka Haunui Waka Hourua and Aotearoa One. In the feature-length documentary, Marbrook captures humour and emotion during the final weeks of terminally ill Siope's life — as she channels her remaining energy into travelling with her family to her parents' birth place of Samoa, to find closure and healing. Loimata won Best Documentary at the 2021 NZ TV Awards.

Today's real special because we finally get to sail on a waka that was built with her hands...

– Lilo Ema Siope's sister on sailing in open water in a waka with family connections

Key Cast & Crew

Jim Marbrook

Writer, Producer, Second Unit - Cinematographer

Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni

Executive Producer

Gaylene Preston

Executive Producer

Malcolm Clarke

Editor

Matthew Suttor

Composer

Anna Marbrook

Director, Writer, Producer