| Birth Place: | Niue |
| Occupation: | Writer, Director |
Vela Manusaute is a Niuean writer and director. He is the creator and writer of New Zealand's first bilingual English-Tongan television series, Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a.[1]
Vela is part-Niuean and part-Samoan; he was born in Niue and lived in his village Mutalau before his family moved to New Zealand in 1979.[2] He graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama Scholl in 1995 with a Diploma in Acting, and was their first Niuean to graduate.[3] [4] In 2002 he founded the theatre and music group Kila Kokonut Krew.[4]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | The Tattooist | Actor - Taxi Driver 2 | Television | |
| 2010 | Matariki | Actor - Russ | Television | |
| 2013 | The Factory | Executive producer, actor - Mason | Web series | |
| 2018 | The Messiah | Director | Short film | |
| 2020 | Educators | Actor - Vela | Television | |
| 2020 | Brutal Lives - Mo'ui Faingata'a | Director | Television |
In 1997 he won the Best Male Comedy award at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards as one half of comedy duo The Brownies.[5]
With Anapela Polataivao he received the New Generation Award for theatre at the 2014 Arts Foundation Awards.[6]
In 2020 he won the Best Screenplay and Best Art Directions awards for his short film The Messiah at the Pacific Rims Film Festival 2020.[1]