Sergio Mata'u Rapu
he/him
Sergio Mata'u Rapu
Indigenous Latine Pacific Islander
Available for Hire
Open to Mentoring
Affiliations
Kartemquin Pacific Islanders in Communications Twin Cities PBSLinks to Work
Bio
Native Rapanui (Easter Island) filmmaker Sergio Mata’u Rapu has produced documentary specials and series that have aired on History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic, and PBS. His award-winning directorial debut, EATING UP EASTER, was screened worldwide and broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2020. He is a producer and editor on BRING HER HOME, a feature by director Leya Hale (Dakota/Dine) which follows three Indigenous women as they work to vindicate and honor their missing and murdered relatives who are victims in the growing epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. As part of TPT’s Racism Unveiled initiative, Sergio produced and hosted THAT GOT WEIRD, an animated digital series about racism and microaggressions in Minnesota. In 2023, Sergio produced the short bio-pic JONATHAN THUNDER: GOOD MYTHOLOGY, for American Masters and Firelight Media. His latest feature PROFE, delves into the history and present-day push for a decolonized, culturally affirming educational system for Latine students in Minnesota. As one of the only native Rapanui working in documentary film, he seeks to uplift stories and foster storytellers from suppressed communities while building pathways for audiences to rediscover their connection to physical spaces and environments.
Projects
Profe
The Latine community is the fastest-growing ethnic group in Minnesota – a state that also claims one of the largest opportunity gaps in the country. Today, two charter schools are tackling this challenge by implementing a decolonized, bilingual, culture-affirming system to serve Latine students. PROFE mixes historical interviews, archival, and present day-verité to paint a picture of the Latine educational revolution in Minnesota – one which started with the Chicano Movement in the 1970s and continues to have a real impact in Latine students today.
Bring Her Home
“BRING HER HOME” follows three Indigenous women — an artist, an activist and a politician — as they work to vindicate and honor their relatives who are victims in the growing epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. As they face the lasting effects of historical trauma, each woman searches for healing while navigating the oppressive systems that brought about this very crisis.
Eating Up Easter
In a cinematic letter to his son, native Rapanui (Easter Island) filmmaker Sergio Mata’u Rapu explores the modern dilemma of their people, descendants of the ancient statue builders, as they face the consequences of their rapidly developing home.