What started as a feel-good hit for Pacific cinema earlier in 2025 has become a box office champion. “Tinā” only released in New Zealand cinemas in February, but it’s been steadily climbing the ladder, now unseating the 2002 classic “Whale Rider” as the fifth most successful Kiwi film of all time. At the time of writing, the box office figure stands at $6,498,469.
It did have an advantage as the widest Pacific-releasing New Zealand film in history, releasing across 132 locations, including Aotearoa, Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands, Fiji and Samoa. That release helped it achieve the third most successful opening week of an NZ film, behind only “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business.”
“Tinā” follows Mareta Percival, a Samoan teacher grappling with grief after losing her daughter in the Christchurch earthquakes. Taking on a reluctant substitute role at a prestigious private school, she finds students in desperate need of guidance, inspiration and love.
CEO of the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Annie Murray, said: “Breaking into the top five most successful New Zealand films of all time, and surpassing a beloved classic like ‘Whale Rider,’ is no small feat. ‘Tinā’’s success in Aotearoa, combined with cinematic release in Australia and the United States, proves a distinctly local story can resonate globally.
“Its themes of grief, community, hope, and love speak to the human condition. Crucially, ‘Tinā’ also shows that commercial and critical success are not mutually exclusive. When we invest in stories that speak to who we are, audiences show up in force.”
The celebrations were echoed by ‘Tinā’ director Miki Magasiva, who said, “What a huge milestone for the team, and we’re incredibly proud to reach this significant achievement.” Co-Producer Dan Higgins added “The success of ‘Tinā’ belongs to our extraordinary cast and crew, and to the audiences who filled cinemas in their hundreds of thousands—this milestone is truly yours.”
The Ten Most Successful Kiwi Films list:
1. “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016) – $12,207,699
2. “Boy” (2010) – $9,322,000
3. “The World’s Fastest Indian” (2005) – $7,059,147
4. “Once Were Warriors” (1994) – $6,801,471
5. “Tinā” (2025) – $6,498,469
6. “Whale Rider” (2003) – $6,496,371
7. “Sione’s Wedding” (2006) – $4,075,000
8. “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” (1999) – $3,201,000
9. “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014) – $2,595,000
10. “Footrot Flats” (1986) – $2,400,000