to ten year old you

‘To ten year old you’ is a short documentary that follows the discomfort of identifying as Kiwi, as well as a Pasifika woman, and what it means to constantly feel like you are not enough to exist in either of the two worlds.

Through letters written to your younger self, this documentary aims to address the identity crisis that many Pasifika people deal with when growing up in the diaspora, and that no matter what people may say, you are enough. 

This documentary is written and directed by Esther Leilua, and produced by Claire Patolo.

As students in our final year of study at AUT, we've honed our storytelling skills and individual creative voices. Along with our executive producer, James Nicholson, we are not only excited to be given an opportunity to tell this story, but also feel a responsibility to tell it as well.

We need your help to tell this story.

Your donations will go towards covering essential costs, including travel, catering, equipment hire and film festival submissions. Any donation, big or small is greatly appreciated and will play such an important part in helping us make ‘to ten year old you’ as successful as it can be. 

We both grew up unsure of ourselves, and what it means to be a Pasifika woman, constantly questioning whether we were ‘brown’ enough to call ourselves Pacific Islander, and whether we were ‘white’ enough to fit in with the majority.

This film is for anyone who ever felt that way. It is dedicated to our ten year old selves, your ten year old self, your nieces, your daughters - it is to, and for us all.

Fa’afetai tele lava,

Thank you very much.

Esther & Claire