Film festival – Asia Pacific Report

A montage of West Papuan everyday life from hip-hop to protest songs

Pacific Media Watch — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:32:34 +0000

I came to this evening of short films not sure what to expect.

I have a history with West Papua (here referring to the Indonesian part of the island of New Guinea, which comprises five provinces, one named “West Papua”) from my days fronting the legendary West Papuan band Black Brothers in the early 1990s.

During that time, I was exposed to stories of struggle and pride in the identity of the people of West Papua. From their declaration of self-determination and self-government and the raising of the Morning Star flag on 1 December 1961, to the so-called “Act of Free Choice” referendum in 1969 which saw the fledgling Melanesian state become part of the larger Indonesian state, to the next 40 years of struggle.

However, apart from the occasional ABC or SBS news story and the 1963 ethnographic film Dead Birds, I hadn’t seen much footage on West Papua until now.

The West Papua Mini Film Festival is a touring festival of short films organised by the West Papuan community and their allies and supporters in Australia to raise awareness of the situation in West Papua.

The four films I saw, at the first screening in Sydney, were:

My Name is Pengungsi (Refugee)
Pepera 1969, A Democratic Integration?
Papuan Hip-Hop: When the Microphone Talks
Black Pearl and General of the Field

The first two films were quite harrowing portrayals of internal displacement and coercion in West Papua. My Name is Pengungsi (Refugee) follows the lives and families of two children, both named “refugee”, born and currently being raised in parts of West Papua distant from their families’ places of origin.

Their displacement is clearly correlated with the increased presence of extractive corporate interests backed in and supported by a military presence.

In both children’s cases this has been enabled by the gradual breaking up of the region of West Papua into first two, and now five, separate provinces.

A scene from My Name is Pengungsi (Refugee)

My Name is Pengungsi (Refugee). Video trailer: Jubi TV

The second film, Pepera 1969, A Democratic Integration, deals with the history of oppression and coercion under Indonesian rule and the absurdity of the rubber-stamping process undertaken by Indonesia (the Act of Free Choice, the Indonesian acronym for which is Pepera) which enabled it to annex West Papua under the impotent gaze of the United Nations and the complicit support of countries including the US and Australia.

The film documents the process leading into decolonisation and West Papua’s short-lived period of self-rule.

The second two films were insightful celebrations of Papuan identity in the arts, through hip-hop artists like Ukam Maran and the earlier musical group Mambesak, and in sport, with the incredible story of the Persipura football club of Jayapura.

The latter’s achievements as a football team and subsequent discrimination and suppression in the racially charged Indonesian football league provide an allegory of West Papuan identity.

In both cases, the strength and resilience of West Papuan identity, and West Papuans’ pride in their ancient ties to land and culture, are palpable.

A scene from Papua Hip-Hop: When the microphone talks.

What I liked about the four films was that they presented a montage of West Papua from rural to urban, from the everyday life of internally displaced people to the exciting work of hip-hop artists with their songs of protest; from the big picture and history of West Papua to the smaller microcosm of the Persipura football team and supporters.

All in all, I was surprised how much I came out of the festival better informed about a place, its history and current developments. And this despite having the privilege of knowing more about West Papua than many Australians.

For those who don’t know much about West Papua and would like to know more, attending the West Papua Mini Film Festival is a must. It is on at various locations around Australia until 21 April 2024, with details here.

And to end on a happy note, my evening of film appreciation included meeting one of the festival’s organisers, Victor Mambor. Victor is the nephew of the late Steve Mambor, drummer for the Black Brothers!

West Papua Mini Film Festival 2024, 9-21 April 2024, Wollongong, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Lismore, Hobart, Melbourne, and Darwin.
The films are also available to view with English and Indonesian subtitles on the Jubi TV Youtube channel.

‘Alopi Latukefu is the director of the Edmund Rice Centre. He previously worked for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. This review was first published on ANU Development Policy Centre’s DevPolicyBlog and is republished here under Creative Commons.

John Minto: Kudos to Jane Campion for saying no to apartheid Israel’s Jerusalem Film Festival

Pacific Media Watch — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 08:09:48 +0000

By John Minto

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) congratulates New Zealand film director Jane Campion over her request for her 1989 debut film Sweetie to be withdrawn from apartheid Israel’s Jerusalem Film Festival.

The announcement was made by Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) late last night.

We are delighted to have an esteemed New Zealand director join at least four other international film directors — from the Basque region in Spain, United Kingdom and the United States — in requesting their films be withdrawn from the festival which is partnered with the Israeli Ministry of Culture.

This is a moment of pride for Aotearoa New Zealand — similar to the pride felt when New Zealand entertainer Lorde cancelled a scheduled concert in Israel in 2018.

A Sweetie film poster. Image: Madman Pictures

At a time when Palestinians are suffering immeasurably under the most fanatical, openly racist Israeli government ever, this solidarity action will be deeply appreciated by Palestinians everywhere.

These film directors are taking action where governments — New Zealand included — have failed morally and politically, again and again and again to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people.

This is similar to the fight against apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s and 1980s when it was civil society organisations around the world, and in New Zealand, which led the anti-apartheid struggle outside South Africa while Western governments either colluded with the regime or looked the other way.

John Minto is national chair of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

The Sweetie trailer.

Papua Film Festival back to Jayapura – focus on cultural stories, engagement

Pacific Media Watch — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 06:14:50 +0000

Jubi News

Jayapura will once again host the sixth edition of the Papua Film Festival (FFP VI), scheduled to take place next month from August 7-9, 2023.

The festival’s central theme, “Dari Kampung Kitong Cerita” (From Our Village, We Tell Our Stories), was determined by the Papuan Voices committee.

During a press conference at the Papuan Voices secretariat in Waena, Jayapura City, festival chair Iren Fatagur revealed that the event would focus on various smaller themes, including food, social change, history and identity, local wisdom, women and children, and the negative impact of land grabbing.

READ MORE: Papuan Voices and film festival reports

The festival will encompass two main components: film screenings and workshops. The workshops will explore different approaches used by filmmakers, particularly in the form of documentary films.

Participants will gain insights into the documentary cycle, covering aspects such as expedition design and film duration.

Harun Rumbarar, head of Papuan Voices, explained that the initial plan was to hold the sixth Papua Film Festival in Wamena following the Papuan Voices 2022 Congress in Biak.

However, due to circumstances and prevailing conditions in Wamena, the decision was made to relocate the festival back to Jayapura.

Shedding light on issues
This year’s festival aims to shed light on simpler yet significant issues, focusing on cultural situations and social matters, highlighting stories from various villages.

Unlike previous editions, FFP VI will not feature a competition but will instead showcase a selection of documentary films produced by Papuan Voices. The films will be screened and followed by discussions to gather responses and insights from the audience, assessing each film’s potential and strengths.

“This year it’s more about telling the content and essence of the stories directly. Papuan Voices seeks to engage and empower local filmmakers, fostering storytelling capacities within the community,” Rumambar said.

FFP VI expects to attract many attendees, offering a platform for cultural exchange, celebration, and capacity building among film enthusiasts and creators alike.

Republished with permission.

Loimata – The Sweetest Tears is a spectacularly exquisite documentary

Pacific Media Watch — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 04:00:29 +0000

Pacific Media Watch

Host Zoe Larsen Cumming had much to discuss on a new documentary, the exquisitely made Loimata – The Sweetest Tears, which was launched last Saturday to a full house at the ASB Waterfront Theatre as part of the international Whanau Marama film festival.

She asked Pacific Media Watch contributing editor Sri Krishnamurthi what made the documentary so special on today’s Pacific Media Centre – Southern Cross segment of Radio 95bFM’s The Wire.

The documentary is about a female master waka builder, navigator and sailor Lilo Ema Siope who was born in Taihape and spent her troubled growing-up years in South Auckland.

LISTEN: Southern Cross on the Pacific Media Centre’s Soundcloud

Abused she was, but she found her true calling on and in the waka.

It remains important to tell these stories of our Kiwi-born Pacific families who find a way to connect with their cultures and to bring richness in diversity to the New Zealand way of life.

What makes this documentary special are the bonds that develop between the Palagi film-making family of Anna and Jim Marbrook, a Pacific media Centre associate, and the Siope aiga who took the Marbrooks into their heart.

Also discussed on the radio programme was climate change and the dangers of relying on sustainable ecotourism, and the dramatic rise in covid-19 cases in Papua New Guinea where cases have jumped by a record 23 to 62.

Loimata – The Sweetest Tears will also play as part of the Whanau Marama hybrid online festival, from August 2-8.

Pacific Media Centre · PMC Southern Cross – Loimata and the revival of the craft of waka building

Nuku’alofa Film Festival launches with documentary dedicated to leiti struggle

Blessen Tom — Wed, 21 Nov 2018 20:46:35 +0000

By Blessen Tom in Nuku’alofa

Leitis in Waiting, a feature documentary, launched the fourth Nuku’alofa International Film Festival 2018 at the Digicel Square in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, last night.

The film is about the struggles of transgender people living in Tonga – known locally as ‘leitis’.

Tonga Leitis is an intrepid group of indigenous transgender women and Joey “Joleen” Mataele an activist campaiging for transgender women and the co-founder of the Tonga Leitis Association.

The film tells a story of the transgender struggle against a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance against the transgender community in the South Pacific kingdom.

Sisi’uno Helu speaking at the opening of the Nuku’alofa International Film Festival. Image Blessen Tom/PMC

“It is an honour to be able to bring this film to its rightful home,” says Hinaleimona Wong-Kalu, creator, producer and one of three directors along with Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson.

Encouraging the people
“We would like to encourage people to tell their stories… we like to bring movies from around the world so that Tongans can connect to other parts of the world,” says Sisi’uno Helu, director of the Nuku’alofa International Film Festival, who is also one of the producers of the film.

Leitis in Waiting closely follows Mataele, a devout Catholic of a noble descent who organises an exuberant beauty pageant presided over by Princess Salote Mafileʻo Pilolevu Tuita.

Mataele also provides shelter and training for a young leiti contestant who has been rejected by the family.

She spars with American-financed evangelicals who are threatening to resurrect colonial-era laws that would criminalise the leitis’ lives.

Eva Tanya Mafi, one of the lead characters of the documentary, was also present for the screening.

The two-day film festival will host 11 international films, including Banabans of Rabi by Blessen Tom and Hele Ikimotu, postgraduate students of New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology.

Films about 1965 anti-communist stigma dominate Indonesian festival

Pacific Media Watch — Fri, 10 Aug 2018 12:07:00 +0000

The trailer for Eka Saputri’s film Melawan Arus. Video: Komunitas Kedung

By Joko Santoso in Purbalingga

A short film by a student whose family were victims of the 1965 anti-communist purge in Indonesia has won best fictional film at the 2018 Purbalingga Film Festival.

The film titled Against the Current (Melawan Arus) was directed by Eka Saputri and produced by the Kebumen 1 State Vocational School.

Facilitated by the Ministry of Education and Culture’s (Kemdikbud) Cinematography Development Centre (Pusbangfilm), the film tells the story of a man and wife defending their rights to their land despite being branded “decadents” of the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).

Yono, the husband, has lost his spirit to defend the land which is being disputed with the authorities. He suggests to his wife Siti that they move.

Siti however who is strong in her convictions remains living in the house squatting on the land. The 10-minute film researches a land conflict in Urut Sewu, Kebumen.

According to one member of the fictional film jury, Teguh Trianton, Against the Current succeeds getting views to explore the psychological aspects of the issue.

“The film leaves viewers contemplating deeply and leaves behind questions the answers to which can be found outside of the film,” sauidTrianton.

“We hope that our film can inspire views through the courage of community farmers in Urut Sewu in defending their right to land,” said director Eka Saputri.

Best documentary
The best documentary category was won by Sum by director Firman Fajar Wiguna and produced by the Purbalingga 2 State Vocational School.

The 15-minute film tells the story of a woman named Suminah, a former Indonesian Peasants Union (BTI, affiliated with the PKI) activist.

After being jailed for 13 years, Sum lives in solitude. She continues to wait for things to take a turn for the better.

According to the documentary jury board’s notes, the film Sum was put together through selected esthetic pictures and a sequence of clear informational narratives.

“As an endeavor at visual communication, this film enriches the national historical language through a grass-roots perspective and the victims who were impacted upon by the excesses of political struggles at the national level,” explained one of the jury members, Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu.

The favorite fictional film category was won by the film Banner (Umbul-Umbul) directed by Atik Alvianti and produced by the Purwareja Banjarnegara Group Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI) 2 Vocational School.

Viewers’ favourite
In the favorite documentary film category meanwhile, viewers sided with Unseen Legacy (Warisan Tak Kasat Mata), directed by Sekar Fazhari from the Bukateja Purbalingga State senior high school.

The Lintang Kemukus award for Banyumas Raya maestro of the arts and culture was awarded to R. Soetedja (1909-1960), a composer from Banyumas, and the Kamuajo Musical Group was awarded the Lintang Kemukus category of contemporary arts and culture.

Purbalingga regent Dyah Hayuning Pratiwi, SE, B. Econ who attended the highpoints of the FFP event, said that the Purbalingga regency government was committed to supporting cinematographic activities and the film festival in Purbalingga.

“Aside from being an arena for friendly gatherings, cinematographic activities are also an arena to improve respective regency’s reputations and prestige,” he said.

Translated by James Balowski for the Indoleft News Service. The original title of the article was Film Tragedi 65 Raih Penghargaan di FFP 2018.

The making of Melawan Arus – dialogue in Bahasa Indonesian.

Price of Peace filmmakers honoured with award

TJ Aumua — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 05:02:41 +0000

The film made its debut at the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2015. Video: JourneymanVOD

By TJ Aumua in Auckland

Co-producer Christina Milligan (left) with Peace Foundation board member Tom Ang and other co-producer Roger Grant (far right). Film director Kim Webby is currently in Vanuatu opening the documentary at another film festival. Image: Ngā Aho Whakaari

Filmmakers of the New Zealand documentary Price of Peace were honoured this week with the producers receiving an award for their contribution to “peace and aroha”.

Director Kim Webby with co-producers Christina Milligan and Roger Grant were recipients of the Te Pou Tatau Pounamu NZ Peace Foundation Award at the Ngā Aho Whakaari (Māori in Screen Production) 20th Anniversary.

Milligan told the Pacific Media Centre that they were honoured to be recognised by their peers and the film community.

She added the film has achieved more success than they had hoped for, reaching mainstream and indigenous audiences around the world.

Tūhoe activist

The film provides exclusive access to the world of Tūhoe activist Wairere Tame Iti and the trial of the Urewera Four’ in which Iti and three others were accused of plotting terrorist activities in 2007.

International screenings

International screenings of the film continue this week, with the documentary being featured in the Margaret Mead Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

It was recently aired on Al Jazeera as a Witness documentary under the title An Innocent Warrior.

In January 2017, it will be filmed at the Skábmagovat -Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival in Finland.

· A list of all the recipients at the Ngā Aho Whakaari award ceremony

· New documentary gives fresh side to Tame Iti story

From Tanna to Hollywood: Film success for Vanuatu love story

PMC Reporter — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 06:10:23 +0000

The cast of Vanuatu film, Tanna, travelled to Hollywood this month to attend the movies official release in Los Angeles as well as New York City.

EyeWitness news interviewed the cast members when they visited ABC7 broadcasting studio in LA.

Cast member Lingai Kowia told the EyeWitness reporter that he is glad “my world has been shown to you in the film, so you can learn what is good from my world.”

Some of the ‘Tanna’ cast in New York City. The film was the first acting experience for many of the cast members. Image: Tanna Movie

Global success

As the first movie to ever be filmed in Vanuatu, Tanna, has continued to receive global success.

It has been picked by Screen Australia as its official entry for best foreign language film at the 2017 Oscars and was voted best direction and best feature film at the Australian Directors Guild Awards.

In August the film was dubbed a “hit” when it was screened at the Venice Film Festival where it was also voted best film and best cinematographer.

The movie will be released in Canada in October at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Edmonton International Film Festival.

The plot follows a young girl, Wawa, who falls in love with the chief’s grandson but is unknowingly betrothed to another as part of a peace deal between two tribes.

It based on a true story in 1984 that led to custom changes on arranged marriage.

Watch the EyeWitness interviews with the cast
Vanuatu’s Romeo and Juliet epic Tanna nominated for Oscars
Watch the trailer

Festival success for young Pasifika filmmakers

TJ Aumua — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 01:27:07 +0000

Forgotten Dawn Children’s official trailer.

By TJ Aumua in Auckland

Filmmakers Joshua Iosefo and Corey Larry Sio found out this month that their short film Forgotten Dawn Children will be screened in Sydney later this year at the Pasifika Film Festival.

The best friends are still overwhelmed saying it is a dream come true to have a film accepted into a festival.

Originally made for final year assignment at university, Sio, the films producer, says he is “shocked but humbled” at the news.

“I didn’t think we would submit it into anything…but he did!” Sio laughs pointing to the films director, Iosefo, who is sitting next to him.

“As we were making it I was like, yeah, this is going be in a film fest!” 22-year-old Iosefo admits.

“I just had this big dream that even though this was supposed to be an end of year assignment, I wanted to make it way more than that.”

“For it to be recognised in a film festival adds value to the film,” says Iosefo.

This is especially important to a film that is based on a shamefully true event that itself, has received little value and little recognition in New Zealand’s history.

The film follows main character, Ioane, a middle-aged man, who is haunted by his memories of the dawn raids, and the struggle of growing up as a Pacific Islander in mid-1970s Auckland.

While going about his daily life, Ioane’s flash backs, show us the unjustifiable arrests of many Pacific Islanders whose homes were raided by police in what is now today’s trending suburbs of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Mount Albert.

Honoring the struggle

Corey Larry Sio (from left) and Joshua Iosefo say they hope to provide a platform for many Pacific stories to be told. Image: TJ Aumua/PMC

“The Dawn Raids is not taught in New Zealand schools- it’s not in the curriculum,” Iosefo explains.

It wasn’t until a year-12 drama teacher in high school taught him about the dawn raids when he became “obsessed” with learning about it.

“I feel that, that was quite late in my life to learn something that concerns my people and my history in New Zealand,” Iosefo says, who is a proud Samoan/Niuean.

“Hence Forgotten Dawn Children.

“I felt that there needed to be something to honor that, to honor the struggle, as well as the memories of people…memories that have just been forgotten.”

The short film is only a small part of the original script, as it had to be cut down to suit their assignment’s marking criteria. Image: Forgotten Dawn Children.

‘Our people’

‘We don’t take credit for the film,’ they both say. ‘We are just telling the story of our people and what happened.’

Twenty-eight-year-old Sio, says seeing the film come to life has created a new found respect for his Pacific family.

“It’s made me realise how strong and resilient our people are. We are some of the greatest survivors of all time. We really, really, really are strong!

“It makes me even more proud to be Samoan.”

When asked of the most memorable moment in the film, Sio said it was the last scene.

“It was this police scene we filmed on a street in Māngere. We had cops chasing five Pacific Islanders down the street-we had to shoot it so many times.

“People were coming down the street, I think people thought it was real, seeing everyone watching-that will forever stay in mind.

“We were almost done, that was our last and biggest scene and we had no energy left.”

“We were so exhausted that night,” Iosefo adds.

“I fainted in the car…while I was sitting down!” he laughs.

‘Home grown’

It took an eight-member-crew made up of fellow students in their class to make the film which they refer to as “totally home grown”.

Family, friends, and a childhood music teacher were also “shoulder tapped” and generously donated their talent, time and money to making the film.

“At least three quarters of the cast are my family,” says Iosefo.

He credits his dad, who not only acted in the film, but also played the role of transport, errands runner and provided food for the cast and crew throughout the long hours of shooting.

Both Sio and Iosefo say they will be launching a new film project next year.

In the meantime, they are still feeling overwhelmed by their films success and will be flying to Sydney in November for the screening of Forgotten Dawn Children at the Pasifika Film Festival.

We wish them all the best!

Vanuatu’s Romeo and Juliet epic Tanna nominated for Oscars

APR editor — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:17:37 +0000

By Thompson Marango in Port Vila

Tanna, the movie shot on Tanna Island, Vanuatu, has been picked by Screen Australia as its official entry for best foreign language film at the 2017 Oscars.

The plot follows a young girl, Wawa, who falls in love with the chief’s grandson but is unknowingly betrothed to another as part of a peace deal hatched between two warring tribes.

The chief of Yakel village plays Chief Charlie and the Yakel medicine man plays the Shaman.

Mungau, who plays the chief’s grandson Dain, was chosen by consensus because he was considered the “most handsome” man of the village.

Sydney Morning Herald entertainment writer Linda Morris reported that since its limited Australian release, Tanna has collected a series of international awards.

The Romeo and Juliet tale is directed by Australian documentary filmmakers Bentley Dean and Martin Butler.

The trailer says: “The young lovers run away, but are pursued by enemy warriors intent on killing them.

“They must choose between their hearts and the future of the tribe, while the villagers must wrestle with preserving their traditional culture and adapting it to the increasing outside demands for individual freedom.”

True story
Tanna is based on a true story in 1984 that led to custom changes on arranged marriage and the film is performed by the people of Yakel.

It was voted best film and best cinematographer at the Venice International Film Festival, and the best direction and best feature film at the Australian Directors Guild Awards.

It was also featured in the New Zealand International Film Festival last month.

The Venice jury said: “The eye behind Tanna captures the subtleties and complexities of a culture under threat and provides the audience with a clear vision of that world.”

The chief executive of Screen Australia Graeme Mason said: “Tanna does what all great films aspire to do: transport you out of your seat and keep you completely riveted as you dive into another world.

“It’s a simple and universal story told with such impressive nuance and looks extraordinary on screen. It’s a great privilege to submit Tanna to the Academy on behalf of Australia, the filmmakers and the people of Yakel.”

The movie will be released in New York City and Los Angeles on September 16 and 23 respectively.

Thompson Marango is a Vanuatu Daily Post reporter.

Amnesty International criticises denial of NZ visa to Iran filmmaker

Pacific Media Watch — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 04:54:15 +0000

The Dokhtar Forooshi song Sonita – “Brides for Sale”.

Stop press: A visa has been subsequently granted to the Iranian filmmker

Amnesty International has criticised the denial of a visa for Iranian film director Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami who is due to visit New Zealand during the Documentary Edge Film Festival next month.

This award-winning documentary, Sonita, addresses the issue of forced marriage in Iran.

Through the journey of a young Afghan refugee turned rapper living in Tehran, the film tells the story of how Sonita Alizadeh narrowly escapes forced marriage at 16 by writing the song “Brides for Sale”.

A human rights activist, Ghaemmaghami was due to speak at screenings of the documentary and also to feature as a guest masterclass speaker at an international industry event.

Human rights filmmaker Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami … denied visa for New Zealand festival. Image: Amnesty International

Amnesty International, sponsor of the documentary, said in a statement today that the Screen Edge Forum was giving New Zealand audiences the opportunity to explore these important issues.

“Film directors are often the target of crackdowns by governments in their own countries,
but it is deeply concerning to see our own country rejecting this visa application”, said Margaret Taylor, activism manager at Amnesty International.

“Rokhsareh plans to visit several other countries such as Australia, Turkey and the United States on her worldwide tour to promote this documentary, so it’s surprising that New Zealand has rejected her application on the grounds that she may be a flight risk.”

Amnesty International said it would like to hear more from Immigration New Zealand on how officials came to this decision and the organisation would welcome a reassessment of this case.

Sonita will screen at The Roxy in Miramar, Wellington, on May 13-15 and at Q Theatre, Auckland, on May 19-29.

The festival has set up a petition calling for Immigration NZ to reverse its decision on
Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami’s visa.

You can add your name here.

High risks for Fiji divers in Pacific documentary ‘disturbing’

APR editor — Sun, 06 Mar 2016 05:21:20 +0000

Trailer for Le Salaire des Profondeur, a deeply disturbing New Caledonian film about the fate of Fijian fishermen diving for sea cucumbers.

By Christina Milligan in Pape’ete

The 13th Festival International du Film Documentaire Océanien (Pacific International Documentary Festival) was held recently in Tahiti, attended by filmmakers from throughout the Pacific.

FIFO, as it is known, is an important event for bringing attention to Pacific films which sometimes struggle for attention outside their home territories.

An outstanding example this year was the film Le Salaire des Profondeurs, a film from New Caledonian filmmakers Dominique Roberjot and Christine Della-Maggiora. This film explores the fate of Fijian fisherman diving for sea cucumbers in an illegal, unregulated environment which exposes many of them to injury, even death.

It is a deeply disturbing, politically challenging story which deserves a wider audience.

The festival screens a small number of films in competition, with a much wider selection of features and shorts screened outside competition. Prizes are awarded by an international jury, which this year was headed by Abderrahmane Sissako, the Mauritanian director who expressed his deep appreciation for the work that FIFO does, and the connections that he felt between the indigenous people of the Sahara and of the Pacific.

Jury prizes were awarded this year to the New Zealand films The Ground We Won and The Price of Peace, and to the NZ-Tahitian co-production Tupaia. Honourable mention was made of Le Salaire des Profondeurs.

And the audience prize, awarded by public vote, went to the New Zealand film Hip Hoperation.

A compilation of trailers for the 11 films entered in this year’s FIFO in Tahiti.

The Grand Prize was awarded to Another Country, directed by Australian Molly Reynolds. This film follows the great Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil back to his home territory and is a searing indictment of the damage done to the Aboriginal people by colonisation.

Co-creator and chair of FIFO, Wallès Kotra, has commented that the festival is “at least as popular with grandmothers as with the young” and visiting filmmakers find this engagement by the people of Tahiti one of the truly charming aspects of this festival.

As New Zealand filmmaker Lala Rolls comments: “These stories are Pacific stories that it is right to share in our own neighbourhood. They help reflect on and build the Pacific community, often with shared heritage, cultural similarities and values.”

Christina Milligan is a film director and producer, and is also a lecturer in documentary making and screen writing at Auckland University of Technology. She was co-producer of The Price of Peace, one of the jury prize-winners at FIFO this year.

FIFO 2016 – the 13th Pacific International Documentary Film Festival

New documentary gives fresh side to Tame Iti story