Justine Simei-Barton

Justine Simei-Barton is a Samoan theatre and film director and producer in New Zealand.

Early life and education Simei-Barton was born in Porirua to Samoan parents. She says she saw few brown faces in theatre, but she was inspired by seeing Jim Moriarty play Hamlet, and Don Selwyn.

Simei-Barton initially studied law, but graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Studies from the University of Auckland, and then earned a post-graduate diploma in broadcasting.

In 1993 Simei-Barton directed The Contest written by her husband Paul Simei-Barton inspired by poem The Contest by Albert Wendt. Collaborators included choreographer Mary Jane O'Reilly, designer John Parker, costumier Suzanne Tamaki and a cast also including Fane and Lelisi and also Erolia Ifopo, Sefa Enari and Vela Manusaute. This production was presented at the Watershed Theatre in Auckland and at Taki Rua Theatre in Wellington. Many of people worked on each others productions, with interchange for example between Pacific Underground in Christchurch and Simei-Bartons company in Auckland. The Overstayer, and Coming Home for the series "Tala Pasifika". Simei-Barton was producer, creator, writer, and director of the 2003 television series Good Hands–Lima Lelei, which took seven years to bring about. The series is about a South Auckland-based netball team, and was nominated for Best Drama Series and Best Supporting Actress at the 2005 NZ Screen Awards. Awards and honours Simei-Barton was awarded a Senior Pacific Artist Award in 2007 as part of Creative New Zealand's Arts Pasifika Awards.

She has won a QEII Arts Council Travel Grant and the Rockefeller Foundation Travel Award.

Personal life Simei-Barton is married to writer and teacher Paul Simei-Barton.