PCC musician and videographer produces award-winning film
A large crowd in the Polynesian Cultural Center’s Hawaiian Journey Theater on the night of January 2, 2024, joined the hundreds of people in Hawaii, New Zealand, and Utah who have already seen Tala, the new 50-minute movie produced by PCC musician and videographer Milton Kaka. The faith-based film has already garnered over a dozen awards.
Using locations at the Cultural Center and areas surrounding Laie, the storyline portrays touching incidents surrounding the death of TALAiga Moni Gago, the infant sister of Kaka’s wife, Jyneen Gago Kaka, over 60 years ago in Samoa.
Previous screenings took place in October 2023 during the PCC’s 60th anniversary celebration, later at the Hamilton New Zealand Temple Visitors’ Center, and in a rented theater in Orem, Utah.
Back story: Jyneen explained that in the early 1950s her father had been a labor missionary living with his wife and several young children in Western Samoa (since renamed Samoa in 1999). “Tala was the third oldest in our family, and she died very young, probably just three or four months old.”
“Some people and villages in Samoa in those days really disapproved of the Mormon religion. So, the video tells the story what happened to my mother and my sister.”
Kaka added that he worked with Jyneen’s older sister, who was a young girl at the time of the pivotal incident but she has since passed away, to put the script together that “shows the struggles their mom went through when the baby died.
Essentially, Kaka said, a mob looking for the father “took the baby during a heavy storm” and about a month later the baby died of exposure. “Years later the leader of the mob ended up joining the Church.” In addition to “shooting” the story, Kaka also wrote some of the music for the production.
Awards — so far — include: Official selection, Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Filmfest 2023; Best Foreign Film, Best Feature Film, Best Writer, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Villian, Best Actor Supporting, and Best Song, Christian Film Festival October 2023; and the Inspirational Feature Silver Award 2023, Christian Family Film Festival.
The creators and cast include:
Milton Kaka: director, producer, director of photography, videographer, co-casting director, co-music director
Lehi Falepapalangi: co-director, co-casting director, and screenplay
Kamerya Hanohano: co-director
Peter and Pika Hanohano: lighting
Boyd Lauano, Janeen Moanamamao Kaka and Alex Galea‘i: cultural specialists
Adele WiRepa: co-music director
Eseneiaso Gago: original story
Mele Toli: Pūao Gago
Pelekina-i-vaito Auaea: Lēava Gago
Amera Hanohano: young Ese Gago
Killian Hanohano: Helaman (Mana) Gago
Roman Keoni Kepano Crowell: Baby Tala Gago
Boyd Lauano: Tavita, mob #1
Esera Tavai: Mālosi, mob #2
Jeffery Joseph Lee-Lo: Fētū, mob #3
Amella Pena: sister missionary #1
Mileen Kaka: sister missionary #2
Jeremy Hawkins: pālagi man
Sam Moe: doctor
Jovelana Muti: nurse
Alesha Galea’i: teenage Ese Gago
Peter Hanohano: missionary Elder#1
Russell Sātele: missionary Elder#2
Chris Tuliloa: Church member #1
Serena Tuliloa: Church member #2
Lauta’amutafea Tuliloa: Church member #3
C J Tuliloa: Church member #4
Manasseh Tuliloa: Church member #5
Justyn Kaka: Church member #6
Kamerya Hanohano: Church member #7
Ellen Gay Dela Rosa: old Samoan lady
Keleise Reid: Samoan lady #1
Titi Vimahi Ha’o: Samoan lady #2
Pewa Dela Rosa: Samoan man #1
Abraham Manutai: Samoan man #2
Alex Galea’i: villager #1
Shannon Galea’i: villager #2
Chesser Cowan: villager #3
Quest Ava: villager #4
Chandae Ava: Villager #5
Aaliyah Ava: villager #6
Tavita Tuala: young Lēava Gago
Erying Mapu: young boy #1
John Manumaleuna: young boy #2
Iraia Manumaleuna: young boy #3
Legend Toilolo: teenage Mana Gago
Tyrus Toilolo: young Samson Gago
Liv Toilolo: young Thelma Gago
Tama’hawk Toilolo: young Suaesi Gago
Eiva Toilolo: young Janeen Gago
Kaleel Spooner: Tavita’s wife
Alohimakanui Lauano: Tavita’s child #1
Aukahi Lauano: Tavita’s child #2
Ali’io’āiga Lauano: Tavita’s child #3
Kamerya Hanohano: woman at baptism #1
Shannon Galea’i: woman at baptism #2
Alex Galea’i: man at baptism
Pika Hanohano: male child at baptism
Kawena Murray: sister missionary #3
Special thanks:
Adele Wi Repa Sone and Nina Mapu
Polynesian Cultural Center Ron Fiaui
Delsa Atoa Moe Chris and Serena Tuliloa
Kyla Greening Ben and Nina Fuimaono
Josh Tatofi Keleise Reid
Moana Feinga Tania Mahoni
Kathleen Lasi Cowan Roman Greening
Galea’i Samoan Choir Brandon Sparks and crew
Ilene Ah Ping Ingley Eric Peterson
Norris Alaiasā Kale Chang @ Auwa’a Studios
Daniel Henderson Jewel To’o
Tipa Galea’i Travis Kaka
David Galea’i Catherine Teriipaia
Roy Hamada Rob Tu’ufuli
Meagan and Roman Crowell Pewa Dela Rosa
Vili and Penny Toilolo Alamoti Taumoepeau
Sai Naivalu Api Tora
FOLLOW-UP: Kaka screened Tala at the Zion Indie Film Festival — formerly known as the LDS Film Festival — in Utah on Saturday, March 2, 2024. He tentatively planned to do “one last festival in May, and then Tala should be done with its festivals.”
