Fa'afiaula Sagote
Fa'afiaula Sagote (born in 1980 or 1981[1]) is a Samoan actor.
He was working as a taro' farmer and carpenter when he was approached by the director Tusi Tamasese, who offered him the lead part – that of dwarf farmer Saili – in what was to be Samoa's first ever feature film, The Orator (2011). The character is an ordinary man, looked down upon due to his lack of height, who seeks the strength to prove he can reclaim his father's chiefly status.[1] In its review of the film, Variety described him as playing the part in a "tremendously soulful-eyed" way.[2] For his performance, Sagote was a finalist for the Best Performance by an Actor Award at the 5th Asia Pacific Screen Awards.[3]
He used part of his earnings from the film to buy a taxi for his brother.[1]
References
- "Tusi Tamasese: A voice from Samoa", New Zealand Herald, September 8, 2011
- Review: The Orator, Variety, September 19, 2011
- "The Orator (O Le Tulafale) in Sundance’s Spotlight", New Zealand Film Commission press release, 2 December 2011