Today we’d like to introduce you to Hinano Tanielu.
Hi Hinano, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born to a well-known Tahitian musician, world traveling entertainer and business owner father the late great Alec Mapuhi Tekurio and Hawaiian dancer, world traveling entertainer mother Tonya Tekurio. They migrated to Santa Ana, Ca where I was born and raised. My parents did storytelling through Tahitian dancing. I would follow my parents’ footsteps with storytelling, not through Tahitian dancing but through filmmaking.
Often times as an adolescent I struggle to find my voice and felt alone because in our Polynesian culture talking about certain topics with different types of abuse isn’t common. One day I asked my father that I needed help but at the time they and I weren’t educated on mental health and how to process and seek help. I turned to mind-altering drugs to coexist but it made it worse and I became more suicidal throughout my childhood and young adult years.
It’s one of these things as a mother and wife where I was still fueling negative thoughts and it was time to adjust the mindset. I spoke out to the Universe, to our Heavenly Father pleading for help. I became a student of “The Law of Attraction” where I practiced that positive thoughts bring positive results, “like attracts like” and the energy of your thoughts manifest your experiences. So positive thoughts manifest positive experiences and vice versa.
I was gifted a talent I never knew I had, no experience, no education “Film Director”. I promised myself and the younger version of myself that when I find my niche, I will speak up for those suffering in silence and those that feel like they don’t have a voice. I’m going to speak up for those hiding in the closet. Going through all that I have I learned to turn my pain into my superpower and now my goal is to give back and help others.
My name is Hinano Tanielu, CEO for ManuScript Films: focusing on Raising Awareness, Motivate, Inspire and Empower Pacific Islanders through visual storytelling.
The stories we tell through film are all inspired by true events. We want to inspire people to live out their full potential without limiting themselves. Empowering Pacific Women, bringing awareness to mental health, speaking for the voiceless, storytelling and sharing indigenous American stories.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been an emotional rollercoaster ride. Ups and downs but it’s your choice to scream or enjoy the ride. I always go back to my “WHY”. It is the purpose that keeps me going.
Trying is the first step to proving some things are possible. Once we try to do it, we find out the feasibility of the task and how far we can push the boundaries of impossible. “A feature film with an all Polynesian core cast produced by a Polynesian Film company(ManuScript Films) hasn’t been done before in America. To do something in America that hasn’t been done before from an American Pacific Islander descent comes with many struggles.
When we go into these meetings, they want the usual film comparable, data, R.O.I, etc. We can’t compare our film to another Polynesian film with the nature we aiming for because there is none so we compare our film with other race films. There is no data on Pacific Islanders with films in America so funding will always be an issue. With that said, in order for ManuScript Films to survive we had to do everything ourselves because there was no budget. We had to learn all the different departments of filmmaking and educate ourselves through the University of GOOGLE, YOUTUBE and reading books. We had no filmmaking experience when we started. The struggle was real. The most important thing is to KEEP GOING, consistency is key, seeking and absorbing wisdom, being teachable and always asking questions.
As you know, we’re big fans of ManuScript Films. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a Polynesian Independent company from top to bottom (writers, music composers, editors, directors, etc.)
I am most proud of that Manuscript Films is able to provide space for Pacific creatives with or without experience to flourish with greatness. It is my responsibility with ManuScript Films to provide my Pacific culture with opportunities in filmmaking to showcase their talent and for them to use us as a stepping stone to further their career, go after their dreams and spark the next generation that they to can do it.
It is important for us to write/tell our own Pacific Islander stories and give opportunities for Pacific actors/actresses to be leads in our own stories so the next generation can see someone that looks just like them on the big screen. It is very important for ManuScript Films to keep going for that person 100 years down the road that can look back years and see a Polynesian company that looks just like them, read about our journey and remix our blueprint of success.
We released our feature film called Sosefina: An inspirational and motivational story inspired by true experiences of a Pacific island girl who is challenged to overcome adversity and personal struggles, and must decide whether to continue on the straight and narrow or enter the seedy world of adult entertainment” on May 2022 on Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month and my Directorial debut.
A sold out Megaplex theatre premiere and standing ovation with a feature the next day on ABC4 Utah. Followed up with Megaplex picking up the film screening at multiple locations in Utah – three weeks in the box office.
Critically acclaimed: Pioneering Pacific stories in America. The first Polynesian American feature film. The first Tahitian to release a feature film in America.
What’s next?
We have a five-year plan but aim to do it in two years. The goal is to showcase more of our own Pacific Islander stories and we have a duffel bag full of scripts to showcase and present to investors if anyone is interested for a sit down.
We are planning a documentary to shoot of our film Journey called: ManuScript Journey “Film school 101” releasing the third quarter of 2023.
We are looking forward to more importantly, to aspire to make a difference. My favorite quote is by Oprah “I come as 1 but I stand as 10,000.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.manuscriptfilms.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sosefinamovie/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sosefinamovie
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sosefinamovie
- Youtube: ManuScript Films
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sosefinamovie
Image Credits
Kaylani Quiocho
