NZ-born Samoan Mario Gaoa has worked in film, television, and theatre for over 25 years. He began studying film and television at Auckland University before finding his true education in the industry itself. Early in his career, he co-founded The Naked Samoans with Oscar Kightley, David Fane, and Shimpal Lelisi—a groundbreaking theatre group that became a cornerstone of Pacific storytelling in Aotearoa. This led to the cult-classic films Sione’s Wedding and New Zealand’s first prime-time animated series, Bro’Town, where he was a writer, director, and voice artist.
As a writer and director, Mario has consistently brought a distinct comedic style to his work. His contributions have earned him multiple accolades, including awards for Best Script in a Comedy Series, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Dramatic Feature. In 2021, he wrote and directed a short film for the Teine Sā anthology. The following year, he produced TVNZ’s Duck Rockers, a prequel to Sione’s Wedding, and was one of the indigenous filmmakers behind the feature film We Are Still Here.
Most recently, he completed a documentary series exploring gangs, addiction, and obesity among Māori and Pasifika communities in New Zealand. He is also a producer and contributing writer on the feature film Tinā, which won the numerous film festival awards.
In recent times, Mario has chosen to focus on creative works with deeper meaning—and has successfully become a broke filmmaker in the process.
