{{Short description|Samoan-born New Zealand writer, film director, and producer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox writer | name = Lisa Taouma | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=100%}} | image = Lisa Taouma ONZM (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Taouma in 2023 | birth_name = Lisa-Jane Taouma | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = | language = | nationality = New Zealander | alma_mater = University of Auckland | genre = | notableworks = ''Tala Pasifika'' | spouse = Mario Gaoa | awards = Special Recognition Awards (Arts Pasifika Awards) | website = | residence = }}
'''Lisa-Jane Taouma''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} is a Samoan New Zealand writer, film and television director, and producer.
== Background == Taouma grew up Faleasiu and Tulaele in Samoa and migrated to Auckland, New Zealand. She has an MA (1st Hons) from the University of Auckland and lectures there on Pacific arts;<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/person/lisa-taouma/biography|title=Lisa Taouma|website=NZ On Screen|language=en|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> the title of her 1998 master's thesis was ''Re-picturing paradise : myths of the dusky maiden''.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Taouma |first=Lisa |year=1998 |type=Masters thesis |title=Re-picturing paradise : myths of the dusky maiden |publisher=ResearchSpace@Auckland, University of Auckland |hdl=2292/5329}}</ref>
Taouma is married to fellow writer and comedian Mario Gaoa.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10690469|title=Look how we've changed – New Zealand 38 years on|last=Johnston|first=Martin|date=26 November 2010|work=NZ Herald|access-date=11 December 2017|last2=Collins|first2=Simon|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}}</ref>
== Career == Taouma began writing for the screen in 1996, with two acclaimed short films''Brown Sugar''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tala-pasifika-brown-sugar-1995/credits|title=Credits – Tala Pasifika – Brown Sugar|website=NZ On Screen|language=en|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> and ''Talk of the Town''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tala-pasifika-talk-of-the-town-1995|title=Tala Pasifika – Talk of the Town|website=NZ On Screen|language=en|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> She began working on ''Tagata Pasifika'' as a reporter and senior director.<ref name=":0" />
In 2014 she launched Pasifika online channel Coconet.<ref name=":0" /> and produces a number of programmes for television including the popular 'Fresh TV' for TVNZ. In 2018 she made the award winning documentary ''Marks of Mana'' winning best documentary at the ImagineNative festival in Toronto 2018, Best Cinematography at DocEdge Festival in Aotearoa, in 2020 she made the award winning feature film anthology 'Teine Sa- The Ancient Ones' and in 2022 the smash hit teen drama film 'Inky Pinky Ponky - The Odd One Out'
Taouma has curated a number of exhibitions and written for scholarly publications on representation of Polynesia in art.<ref name=":0" /> In 2002, as part of the Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art she curated ''Pasifika Divas,'' an interdisciplinary performance-based project at the Queensland Art Gallery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.visualarts.qld.gov.au/content/apt2002_standard.asp?name=APT_Artists_Pasifika_Divas|title=Pasifika Divas|website=visualarts.qld.gov.au|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref>
In the 2009 Qantas Film and Television Awards Taouma was nominated in the Best Children's/Youth Programme category for her work on ''Polyfest '09.''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thebigidea.nz/work/enterprise-news/2009/aug/59303-qantas-tv-awards-finalists|title=Qantas TV Awards finalists|date=10 August 2009|work=The Big Idea|access-date=11 December 2017|language=en}}</ref> Taouma received the Special Recognition Awards at the 2015 Arts Pasifika Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/results-of-our-work/award-winners/arts-pasifika-awards|title=Arts Pasifika Awards|website=Creative New Zealand|language=en|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref> In the 2023 New Year Honours, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Pacific arts and the screen industry.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2023 |title=New Year honours list 2023 |date=31 December 2022 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
=== Filmography === {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year ! Title ! Role !Notes |- | 1976–present | ''Polyfest'' | Producer, Director |Television |- |1987–present |''Tagata Pasifika'' |Director |Television |- |1995 |Talk of the Town' |Writer |Television/ Short Film |- |2001 |''Otara Market'' |Director |Television | |2003 |''Masina Samoa: Stories of the Malu'' |Director |Television |- |2005 |''Fa'afafine In Transit – Nothing to Declare'' |Director |Television |- |2008 |''ASB Polyfest 2008'' |Producer |Television |- |2011–present |''Fresh'' |Producer |Television | |2016 |''Game of Bros'' |Associate Producer |Television |} 2017 'Marks of Mana' Director/ Producer Television / Coconet TV
2019 'Untold Pacific History' Series Producer Coconet TV/ RNZ
2020 'Teine Sa-The Ancient Ones' Feature Anthology Television / Film Festival
2022 'Inky Pinky Ponky' Exec Producer Television/ Film Festival
2023 -Untold Pacific History 2' Coconet TV/ RNZ
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.thecoconet.tv/ The Coconet]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Taouma, Lisa}} Category:Living people Category:University of Auckland alumni Category:Samoan emigrants to New Zealand Category:New Zealand women film directors Category:New Zealand film producers Category:New Zealand television writers Category:People from Aʻana Category:New Zealand women television writers Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:New Zealand women film producers Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit