Shot in black and white and filmed in the Samoan language, Sima Urale's debut short film was the first film by a Samoan woman director. O Tamaiti is the story of a young boy forced to play parent in devastating circumstances. According to NZ On Screen, "O Tamaiti marked a powerful debut, winning an impressive trolley of awards, including best short at the Venice Film Festival, Best NZ Short, and another at the Chicago Film Festival".