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Leitis in Waiting
2018, 72 minutes

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Keywords/theme
Media type
Country of origin

United States of America

Kingdom of Tonga

Filming locations

Kingdom of Tonga

Technical specs

Colour

Languages

English/English

Content Warnings
Unreviewed
Description

LEITIS IN WAITING is the story of Joey Mataele and the Tonga leitis, an intrepid group of native transgender women fighting a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance in their South Pacific Kingdom. The film follows Joey, a devout Catholic of noble descent, as she organizes an exuberant beauty pageant presided over by a princess, provides shelter and training for a young contestant rejected by her family, and spars with American-financed evangelicals threatening to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalize the leitis' lives. With unexpected humor and extraordinary access to the Kingdom's royals and religious leaders, Joey's emotional journey reveals what it means to be different in a society ruled by tradition, and what it takes to be accepted without forsaking who you are.

Leitis in Waiting. “Leitis in Waiting.” Accessed August 15, 2025. https://www.leitisinwaiting.com.

Cast & Crew
Crew