Nora Aati’s Short Film I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden Confronts Trauma, Stereotypes, and the Silence Around Mental Health
“As a Samoan, my experiences shape everything that I write. How I see the world through the eyes of a woman, mother and daughter. Challenge the way the world chooses to see me and others who look like me.”
Writer and actor Nora Aati makes a commanding entrance into the world of Pacific storytelling with her bold new short film I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden. Premiering at the 2025 Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival and selected as a finalist for Ngā Whanaunga Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best, the film is already making an impact.
“My name is Nora Aati, and I come from the villages of Safune, Faleasi’u, Falelatai, Manono, and Apia in Sāmoa,” she says. “I was born in Aotearoa and currently reside in Tāmaki Makaurau with my husband and five children.” Though she began as an actress, it was the lack of roles for Pacific women that led her to write her own. “I noticed a lack of roles for Pacific women, which inspired me to pick up the pen.”
The film centres on ‘Ala, a Samoan woman living with Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). “I decided to centre my short film on DID to tell a compelling story,” Aati says. “I recognised that acknowledging trauma in a narrative is essential for addressing mental health issues in our communities.”
She approached the subject with care and collaboration. “I conducted extensive research on DID, and our team sought valuable feedback on the script from the Mental Health Foundation. We worked closely with a clinical psychologist during the script development process and also had their support on set. Additionally, we consulted with renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Siale Foliaki. To prioritise the well-being of our cast and crew, we ensured that an on-set therapist was available.”
Each alter ego in the film reflects a different dimension of ‘Ala’s psyche:
“Flo is a 4-year-old girl who is innocent, curious, playful and naive. She is the pure part of ‘Ala, that is safe and soothing and well protected by other alters.”
“Eva is 25 years old, the part of ‘Ala that is more risqué, sensual, sexual and daring. She enjoys slowly pushing others' boundaries and uses her physicality to achieve her goals.”
“Saia is a male Tongan, in his 30s and is ‘Ala’s protector. He looks after ‘Ala and is careful, wary and suspicious of other males that come into close contact with ‘Ala. He also protects the other alters.”
“Puipui is female, elderly, Samoan and is an ancestor ‘Ala that lives in her mind and remains dormant. She doesn’t speak English; she speaks the Samoan language, which Ala is completely unfamiliar with.”
The title itself, I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden, carries personal and political weight.
“It highlights how the Western world has traditionally viewed Pacific women. It speaks to how I feel I have been viewed and possibly objectified in the past as a Samoan actress.”
“There is the age-old Western inaccurate view that indigenous (and Pacific women especially) women wear grass skirts, always smile, are sexual deviants, are unintelligent and exist for the pleasure of the men.”
“I AM NOT YOUR DUSKY MAIDEN is a statement in itself but also a call to action for other Pacific women to fully realise their potential and be all that they can be.”
“As confronting as it sounds, it prompts a pause for thought, which hopefully leads the way into curiosity about what this story is about.”
Her Sāmoan upbringing is at the heart of everything she writes. “My parents, who are Samoan-born, have a significant impact on everything I create, as it is from them that my heritage originates.” Her late mother played a vital role in shaping the film. “She helped me especially with the role of Puipui, finding the right words and understanding how to embody her.” The film is dedicated to her.
“Like some NZ-born Pacific people, I am not fluent in my language. Although there is often a sense of insecurity that comes with this, I have grown far enough as a person to know that it does not define me as a Samoan woman.”
“Instead of waiting for another Samoan woman with similar perspectives to write the roles I wish to audition for or see, I must create them myself with my own pen and tell my own stories.”
Directed by Vea Mafile’o and produced by Jazz Dos Santos and Seuta’afili Dr. Patrick Thomsen, the film is supported by Pacific Islanders in Communications, the JR McKenzie Trust and the Mental Health Foundation. Executive producer Karin Williams joins a team committed to centering Pacific perspectives and care.
As well as "I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden" Aati is also exploring new frontiers. Alongside fellow creative Claire Patolo, she recently won first place at the 2025 SMSG AI Creative Media Hackathon with her short film "Generate Me" The shortfilm was created completely with AI tools such as Midjourney - that emphasize the importance of story sovereignty, highlighting the pros and cons of AI and storytelling.
'I Am Not Your Dusky Maiden' will be screening at this year's NZ International Film Festival as part of the Ngā Whanaunga: Aotearoa New Zealand’s Best 2025 Programme.
Where: Skycity Theatre
Date: Aug 3rd 2025
Time: 2:45pm