Director and actor Sima Urale has just been announced as a 2019 Arts Foundation Laureate.
Her work combines Samoan and urban New Zealand perspectives to tell Pacific stories.
As the first female Samoan film director she has released a string of acclaimed films, including her debut O Tamaiti which won Best Short Film at Venice, and 2008 feature Apron Strings.
Sima Urale Photo: supplied / Nan Sirisamphan