The Butterfly and The Bear

The Butterfly and The Bear is the first time I am taking storytelling from the stage to the screen. This film is particularly special as it is about my own personal journey with bipolar 2 and the power of the love and support from my husband to be able to thrive with our 6 children. This campaign will raise funds to pay the cast and crew to film The Butterfly and The Bear in 2025.

Sela Faletolu-Fasi - Writer/Director

Sela Faletolu-Fasi is a Samoan/Tongan (from Fasito'outa, Samoa and Fasimoeafi, Tonga) theatre maker based in Ōtautahi. She has written and directed her own shows in Ōtautahi last 17 years.

Her most recent play, 'Love; Mum' had its debut season at the start of this year, which due to popular demand was extended twice and completely sold out. This was the inspiration for her to write her first short film, 'The Butterfly and The Bear'.

Sela is a mother of six children and is passionate about sharing Pacific stories and advocating young people and in the mental health space. 

John Ross - Cinematographer

Based in Christchurch, John has an eye for natural images and a love of narrative storytelling. After coming national runner-up in the 2018 48 Hour Film Festival with the powerful short Hero, John went on to win a silver award for commercial cinematography from the New Zealand Cinematographers Society, had content accepted into BAFTA accredited festivals, and recently won best cinematography at the London Fashion Film Festival.

Vanessa (Nes) Karakia-Kore Gray - Co-director

Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tau, Rangitāne, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Pākehā, Ngāti Hūrai, Ngāti Wīwī, Ngāti Kotimana – Clan Douglas.

Vanessa is a multi-disciplinary artist and brings a plenitude of knowledge and experience as a director, producer, writer and designer in the arts, film, theatre, tv, music and online – including an AR app launched at the Doc Edge Festival 2024.

Vanessa has a background in screen arts gaining a degree in Broadcasting Communications and a diploma in Digital Video Post-Production from the NZ Broadcasting School. They have been a creative and company director for over a decade with Hiwa Media and was the first mana whenua associate artistic director and kaihautū ahurea at The Court Theatre. Nes is passionate about Kaupapa relating to arts, social justice, the environment and rights for woman, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and specifically-abled people.

They are currently working as an independent artist, associate programming director at Little Andromeda Theatre, consultant and kaitautoko for What Now and Mana Tipua.

Underpinning the variety of work Nes has been involved in is their ability to create positive transformational experiences and environments that are mana enhancing and inclusive to all cultures and people.

The money from this campaign will be used to pay the cast and crew for filming in 2025.

I am making my first short film about my personal journey living with bipolar 2 and how I have been able to thrive with the love of my husband and my family. My experience is that the most powerful treatment is unconditional love, patience, faith and the support of your family. This film shows the strength and beauty in the struggle when you are surrounded by the right people who love and care about you. 

In Pacific communities we don't often talk about mental distress and more so mental illness. It is often seen as generational or spiritual curse, or a weakness, which makes it hard to navigate for those living with it as well as the people supporting them. 

Though treatment includes psychiatry, psychology, medication and management plans, I wanted to show the importance of the healing power of prayer and the unconditional love and support of aiga (family) that is often not recognised as 'treatment'. 

It is important for me to share this story to connect with anyone else who feels isolated, alone and ashamed because of the stigma attached to mental illness and mental distress.