Tina

Top-Notch film out of New Zealand about a Samoan women, Mareta, who losses her daughter during the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch and subsequently becomes a teacher at an affluent private school and introduces them to choir. Plenty to love here. Kind of like an opposite-form Dangerous minds meets Mr. Holland Opus. the films weaves in several themes through the narrative like racism, classism and coping with loss, so there is some depth here. Furthermore, even though it does have some "films-about-teachers" cliches in it, the films depth and the fact that its from NZ and Polynesia made the cliches feel not so egregious. I enjoyed this immensely. Highly recommended.

BTW: Tina is Samoan for mother.