Mareta (Anapela Polataivao) is a Samoan New Zealander whose life is irrevocably altered when her daughter is killed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Disillusioned and still grappling with profound grief years later, she reluctantly accepts a substitute teaching position at an elite, predominantly Pākehā (white) private school. There, she discovers a group of privileged yet troubled students in desperate need of guidance. Defying initial resistance, Mareta establishes a school choir, and through the transformative power of music and her unique approach, she helps the students confront their own insecurities.

A heartfelt story of healing and community, Tinā – which means ‘mother’ in the Samoan language – has struck an emotional chord with everyone who has seen it. With its moving celebration of cultural identity and artistic expression, it has gone on to become one of the most successful New Zealand films of all time at the box office.