Sima Urale facts for kids

Sima Urale is a celebrated filmmaker from New Zealand. Her movies, which often look at important social topics, have been shown all over the world. She is one of the few film directors of Polynesian heritage and has worked in the movie industry for over 15 years. One of her biggest achievements was winning the Silver Lion award for Best Short Film at the famous Venice Film Festival for her movie O Tamaiti (which means The Children) in 1996.

Early Life and Family

Sima Urale was born in the village of Fagamalo on the island of Savai'i in Samoa. She grew up with her two brothers and three sisters. In the 1970s, her family moved to Wellington, New Zealand, to start a new life. Her mother was a teacher, and her father, who had been a fisherman and planter in Samoa, worked night shifts in a factory.

Urale's family is very creative. Her younger brother is the famous rap artist King Kapisi, who was the first hip hop artist to win the APRA Silver Scroll award. Her sister, Makerita Urale, is a writer, producer, and documentary maker. Another brother, Tati Urale, is a senior producer for ONE News at Television New Zealand.

The family often worked together on creative projects. Sima directed the music video for her brother King Kapisi's first song, "Sub-Cranium Feeling." Her sister Makerita produced it. The video, which was filmed underwater, won several awards for Best Music Video.

Education and Training

In 1989, Urale graduated from Toi Whakaari, New Zealand's national drama school, where she studied acting. For her final school project, she played the main character in the famous play The Cherry Orchard.

After working as a professional actor for two years, she decided to study filmmaking. She went to the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, Australia. She was so good at her studies that she won the Student of the Year Award. In 1994, she graduated with a degree in Film and Television.

Career as a Performer and Director

Acting on Stage

Before becoming a director, Urale was an actor in New Zealand for two years. She toured the country performing in plays, including a version of The Taming of the Shrew and a play by David Geary called A Pack of Girls, which was about a women's rugby team.

In 1995, she won a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Support Role. She also acted in her sister's play, Frangipani Perfume, which was the first play written by a Pacific Island woman for a cast of all women.

A Career in Filmmaking

Urale has had a long and successful career as a writer and director. Her films have won awards and been praised by critics around the world.

O Tamaiti (The Children)

Her first major film was the short film O Tamaiti, which she wrote and directed. The movie was a huge success. It was filmed in black and white and has almost no talking. It tells a powerful story from the point of view of an 11-year-old Samoan boy who has to take care of his younger siblings.

The film won many awards, including Best Short Film at the Asia Pacific Film Festival and the Chicago International Film Festival. TIME magazine praised the film in 2005, saying it showed how movies could change the way people see the world.

Other Major Works

Urale has directed many other successful projects:

• Velvet Dreams (1997): A documentary about New Zealand artist Charles McFee, who was known for his unique velvet paintings of women from the South Pacific islands. It won Best Documentary at a film festival in Canada.
• Still Life (2001): A short film she wrote and directed about an elderly couple facing a difficult life decision. It won Best Short Film at the Montreal World Film Festival.
• Hip Hop NZ: A TV documentary about New Zealand's hip hop stars, including Che Fu and DLT (musician).
• Coffee and Allah (2008): A short film that won awards at festivals in Russia and the United States.
• Apron Strings (2008): Her first feature-length film. It won several awards, including for Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Cinematography at the Qantas Film & TV Awards in 2009.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout her career, Sima Urale has received many honors for her work.

• 2022: Tautai Award for Moana Excellence in the Screen Industry at the Women in Film and Television New Zealand Awards.
• 2006: Creative New Zealand Pacific Innovation & Excellence Award.
• 2004: Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers' Residency, which allowed her to write at the University of Hawaiʻi.
• 2003: An award from New Zealand On Air for her contribution to making music videos.

Filmography

Here are some of Sima Urale's most important films.