As the inaugural People of Pasifika 48hour (POP48) Film Challenge nears, Pasifika TV is getting to know each of the four “hosts” in the four countries selected to compete for the top honours.
Fiji, Cook Islands, Samoa and Solomon Islands have been selected as host countries for the Pasifika On Air (POA) initiative, who each recruit five teams each, to then battle it out to produce a short (four to six minutes) film in just 48 hours, from September 4-6, 2026.
Viewers will then get to vote for their favourite film when all 20 films are aired exclusively across Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL) platforms in September.
The winner will be announced in September, and the POP48 champions will receive a grand prize of a trip to Hawai’i for a film masterclass.
Pacific Standard Time, an independent creative studio operating in the Cook Islands and New Zealand, will host five teams from the Cook Islands for the PoP48 Challenge.
Led by Pouarii Tanner and Henry Taripo, here is what Pouarii and Team Cook Islands have to say about this exciting new competition…
Tell us about yourselves
Henry and I are both proud Cook Islanders living and working in Rarotonga, bringing together our shared love of storytelling and filmmaking through Pacific Standard Time and POP48. I was born and raised in Grey Lynn, Central Auckland. After working overseas for several years, I settled in Rarotonga in 2020, where I now live and work. Henry was raised between New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Like many Cook Islanders, our unique relationship with New Zealand has allowed us to spend significant parts of our lives in both countries. Today, we both proudly call the Cook Islands home.
How did you get into film?
Henry and I actually have a long creative history together. As a member of the pioneering Pacific Sisters collective, Henry has had an incredible creative career and was one of the first people to give me opportunities to work in film when I was younger through a number of moving image and art projects. Henry is also a graduate of Unitec’s film programme, having received a Cook Islands scholarship to study filmmaking. I’ve always admired that because every film project he works on feels like a return on the investment our country made in his creative education. He is a huge asset in supporting my work as a Cook Islands woman working in screen and is truly my secret weapon and creative ally. My own background is in Design, and I hold a Master of Cultural and Creative Practice from AUT. One of the most formative experiences in my career was working with the Sundance Institute’s Indigenous Program under Bird Runningwater in Los Angeles in 2019. Those experiences helped shape the way I think about storytelling and the kinds of projects I want to create.
Who or what inspires you in your craft?
For POP48, we are inspired by the people we’re working with. Nicole Rex and the team at Pasifika TV have created an incredible platform that brings together storytellers from across the Pacific. We’re thrilled to welcome Anna Brown to Team Cook Islands as our POP48 “POPStar”, bringing her experience, encouragement and, of course, the famous 48-hour challenge envelope that kicks the whole adventure off. Most of all, we’re inspired by this year’s five Cook Islands teams. They were selected because of the talent, creativity and potential we saw in their work, and we can’t wait to see what they create over an intense 48 hours.
What drives you (and your team)?
The healthy rivalry between the Pacific nations taking part in POP48 this year, and the confidence we have in the incredible creative talent here in the Cook Islands. What excites us most is this generation of Cook Islands creators is already making content every day. They’re filming on their phones, editing their own videos and publishing them almost instantly. POP48 simply redirects those existing skills towards storytelling. That’s what makes this format so exciting. It’s fast, creative and collaborative. Instead of creating content for clients or social media, teams have 48 hours to tell a story they genuinely want to tell. Our goal is to create an event that’s challenging, competitive and, above all, a lot of fun.
Why will you be the host with the most?
Because we really believe we have the most talented teams. A bold claim but we’re putting out there – we may have just selected the best teams across these four Pacific nations. We shall see! If Henry and I can remove the barriers, keep the energy high and remind every team that they earned their place in this competition, then we’ve done our job. Our role isn’t to tell them how to make films. It’s to create an environment where they feel supported, encouraged and confident enough to back themselves. The creativity already exists. We’re simply here to help it shine.
Why do you think your island will take out the challenge?
The response to POP48 exceeded our expectations, and the standard of applications gave us every reason to be confident in the filmmakers representing the Cook Islands. We know the other Pacific nations are bringing incredibly talented teams as well, and that’s what makes this competition so exciting. Lessshhhgooo! There’s a healthy sense of rivalry between us all, but we think the Cook Islands has the creativity, resourcefulness and storytelling ability to go all the way baby!
What makes your organisation stand out from the rest?
We’re proudly the smallest nation taking part in POP48 this year, and we’re embracing that. Being small means we’re resourceful and able to move quickly. Great stories don’t depend on the size of your country, your crew or your budget. They depend on the people telling them. We might be the smallest team in the competition, but small can be mighty.
What outcomes are you anticipating?
Of course, we’re aiming for the win. Beyond that, we’re anticipating a huge boost in confidence for everyone involved. Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and we hope every team walks away feeling more confident in their abilities as filmmakers and storytellers. We’re also looking forward to seeing the incredible range of stories that emerge across the Pacific. With five teams from each nation, we’ll get to experience 20 brand-new short films, each reflecting a different voice, perspective and regional style. While we’re backing the Cook Islands all the way, we’re just as excited to see how storytelling is evolving across our Pacific neighbours and to celebrate the creativity that exists throughout the region.
Good luck!
While we’re proudly backing Team Cook Islands and doing everything we can to bring home the title, we also want to wish every team across the Pacific the very best of luck! We can’t wait to see the stories you tell and to learn more about your island homes through your films. Congratulations to all of this year’s selected Cook Islands teams. We have every confidence in you, and we hope you enjoy every minute of the challenge. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to Pasifika TV and everyone behind POP48 for turning a great idea into a reality. Have fun, look after one another, and enjoy the ride. See you on the other side of the 48 hours!