Story: Feature film

Sons for the return home, 1979

The first film to describe the experiences of Pacific Islands people in New Zealand, Sons for the return home, was directed by Paul Maunder. It was adapted from Albert Wendt's 1973 novel of the same name. In this clip Sarah (played by Fiona Lindsay) and her boyfriend Sione (Uelese Petaia) meet Fiona's parents (Alan Jervis and Anne Flannery) and then Sione is shown interacting with his family while cleaning for his mother (Moira Walker). The awkward and unfamiliar juxtaposition of their two cultures made for compelling drama.

Using this item

NZ On Screen
Reference: Sons for the return home. Writer and director, Paul Maunder. Wellington: Pacific Films, 1979.

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

Courtesy of Pacific Films

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Helen Martin, 'Feature film - The 1970s film renaissance', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/interactive/42475/sons-for-the-return-home-1979 (accessed 8 May 2024)

Story by Helen Martin, published 22 Oct 2014