They are led by LGBT rights activist Joleen Mataele, who founded the Tonga Leitis Association, which provides support and shelter to transgender women.
The film centers on the Miss Galaxy Queen pageant, an annual beauty competition for leitis, and on a national consultation on LGBT rights initiated by Mataele.
[3] Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson met Joleen Mataele during a screening of Kumu Hina arranged by her long-time friend Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu.
[4] They had originally intended to make a short film about the Miss Galaxy Queen pageant (which was later released as Lady Eva), but expanded the project when Mataele launched a national discussion in 2016 on LGBT rights in Tonga,[5] documenting the opposition she faced from conservative church groups.
We want to bring more awareness to these issues across the Commonwealth.” Leitis in Waiting would later have its European premiere at the inaugural Festival of Commonwealth Film.