Atali’i O Le Crezent - Short Film

In March 2022, we made an experimental short film in Ōtara in South Auckland titled Atali’i O Le Crezent (Boys of the Crezent). It is based on a play by Samoan-New Zealand dancer and actor Villa Junior Lemanu. The seed of the idea started when Villa’s family and neighbourhood all got a letter about developments planned in the area, alluding to the possibility of houses being torn down to extend the highway. It made him think heavily about what would happen to his home and to his community, and of all the stories that are embedded in those places and how losing that would feel like losing a huge memory bank.“So yeah, that’s where it started. I didn’t wanna make a work about ‘gentrification’ per se, but more-so the memories embedded in the houses and the streets. I wanted to capture the energy of our community and almost immortalise it in any way I can. I wanted to celebrate the humanity of South Auckland and the honest, pure nature of the people. To look through the memories once again before it gets lost.”

The film is a kaleidoscopic blend of emotion, nostalgia, humour and tenderness all woven together across scenes of dance and play. Taika Waititi meets Pina Bausch.

We only had the budget to cover the production of the film so we’re looking to fund our festival and marketing budget by selling a 1/1 of the first ever clip from the film to be released to the world. In this scene, we see Villa in a wasteland at dusk, processing his emotions through dance and preparing to leave this place one final time.

The collector of this film and all potential future collectors will receive an ‘Associate Producer’ credit which will be made public on IMDB and if bought before the 31st July 2022; will be featured in the film’s actual credits.