BEFORE THE MOON FALLS
In May 2024, the Pacific was shaken by the shocking news of a murder in Samoa. The perpetrator was Sia Figiel—a groundbreaking novelist and poet, celebrated worldwide as the first to give voice to the struggles of Samoan girls and women. The victim was her close friend and fellow poet.
For eight years, Hawai‘i-based, award-winning documentary filmmaker Kimberlee Bassford (PATSY MINK: AHEAD OF THE MAJORITY, CHINATOWN, WITH ALOHA, WINNING GIRL— all screened at HIFF) had been crafting a portrait of Sia when the tragedy occurred. What began as a story of literary achievement transforms into a searing exploration of mental illness, stigma, and the devastating impact on families and communities when care is inconsistent or absent. At once intimate and unsettling, the film traces Sia’s path leading up to the tragedy, offering a nuanced and deeply human lens on an event that reverberated far beyond Samoa.
Sponsored by:
Credits
Director(s):
Kimberlee BassfordProducer(s):
Kimberlee Bassford, Linda Goldstein KnowltonWriter(s):
Kimberlee Bassford, Sia FigielCast:
Sia Figiel, Marilyn "Kuki" Figiel, Malamalama Figiel, Pounamu Figiel-Toia, Mario LemafaCinematographer(s):
Jay Hubert, Kimberlee Bassford, David Fox, David Hamilton, Karna Kurata, Mark Lapwood, Hanna Miller, Valerie Narte, Peter J. Nicoll, Myka Stanley, Jeremiah TauamitiNo showtimes are currently available for this event.