The Hollywood awards season has of course shifted up another gear with Oscar hopefuls globally vying for contention - and among them, WIFT filmmaker Vea Mafile’o's fabulous short Lea Tupuʻanga (Mother Tongue).
Written by Luciane Buchanan, the short follows a Tongan speech therapist who exaggerates her fluency in her native language to secure a job, only to find herself out of her depth and forced to discover new ways to communicate with her patients.
The film, created by these two powerhouse Tongan women, is now under consideration for best live action short film Oscar nomination ahead of next year's awards.
Vea kindly found the time to chat with WIFT E-News:
How did your screening in LA come to be?
The LA screening came together very organically, through community rather than formal industry channels. Once we found out Lea Tupuʻanga (Mother Tongue) was eligible for Oscar consideration, we realised that most Academy voters are based in Los Angeles and that if the film wasn’t visible there, it simply might not be watched.
With very little time and a limited campaign budget, we reached out to the Tongan and Pacific community in LA, many of whom had supported my earlier documentary, For My Father’s Kingdom. They immediately stepped in, helping secure a 750-seat venue, helping organise a few musicians & a Tongan dance, kai for the event, security, spreading the word, and supporting the screening in a very grassroots way. It was a true example of community rallying around a shared milestone.
Give us a reflection on what it was like. How was the film received? What was the energy like in the room?
The energy in the room was incredibly moving. It felt less like a “campaign screening” and more like a collective moment of pride, healing, and recognition. There was laughter, silence, tears, and deep attentiveness, particularly around the themes of language loss and cultural shame, which clearly resonated with many people in the audience.
The response during the Q&A was thoughtful and emotional, with people sharing their own experiences of diaspora, identity, and reconnecting with language. For us, that reaction reaffirmed why we made the film in the first place, not for awards, but to open up conversations our communities are often carrying quietly. It felt like a real celebration & the signing was amazing as usual! It took us about an hour & and a half to leave as everyone wanted photos & to speak with us we were very humbled.
How did the film get to be in the running for the Oscars?
The film qualified for Oscar consideration through the festival route. Lea Tupuʻanga premiered at the Sundance Film Festival (2024) and went on to screen widely, eventually sweeping the major short film awards in Aotearoa, including NZIFF, Māoriland, and Show Me Shorts. Winning the Department of Post Award at Show Me Shorts made the film officially Oscar-eligible.
At the time, our focus was on the festival journey and community impact; we honestly didn’t anticipate or fully understand the campaigning side of the Oscars until we found out on the 10th of November we had qualified, which is why much of our awareness-building has happened very quickly and very late in the process.
What are the next steps for your campaign? Are there any more special screenings?
We find out the shortlist results on December 16 (US time), and at this point, we genuinely feel like we’ve done as much as we possibly could. More than anything, we wanted to celebrate reaching this stage; becoming the first Tongan film to ever be in the Oscars race felt like a huge milestone in itself.
This film has been an incredibly blessed journey. We’ve enjoyed every moment of it, the challenges, the learning, the growth. I spent two full years editing the film because I wasn’t satisfied, and I didn’t want to let it go until I truly loved it. Taking that time taught me how to trust the process and be proud of every frame. I guess it really is like those old Mainland cheese ads: good things take time, and they really do.
Given the tight timeline, our campaign focus has been on visibility rather than scale. The LA community screening was the key moment for us, a chance to honour the milestone and bring people together and from here we’re concentrating on digital outreach. That means encouraging people to share the film’s story and amplify posts from our lead actor and writer, Luciane Buchanan, during the voting window.
If any opportunities arise for small, informal industry or community screenings, we’ll follow those leads, but we’re also being realistic about time, resources, and energy. At this stage, the priority is simply making sure the film is seen, not overstretched.
How can people help your campaign?
The most meaningful way people can help is by spreading awareness. Because Academy members aren’t required to watch every eligible film, visibility is everything.
People can support us by:
+ Sharing or reposting Luciane Buchanan’s posts - CLICK HERE FOR LUCIANE'S INSTAGRAM
+ Talking about the film within the industry and creative networks
+ Highlighting the cultural significance of a Pacific, Tongan-led story reaching this stage
Even the smallest gestures, a repost, a mention, a conversation, make a real difference for a film like ours, which is powered by community rather than a large marketing machine.
Thanks so much to Vea for the insight and for chatting to WIFT E-News! Being included in the Oscars conversation and being "In-Consideration" is such an achievement in of itself, congratulations to Vea and Luciane and all the Lea Tupuʻanga team.
Enjoy the trailer HERE