Content area
Full text
Samoan Wedding, 97 minutes, 35 mm, color, 2006. Written by Oscar Kightley and James Griffen; directed by Chris Graham; produced by John Barnett and Chloe Smith. Distributed by South Pacifi c Pictures, New Zealand.
No. 2, 93 minutes, 35 mm, color, 2006. Written and directed by Toa Fraser; produced by Philippa Campbell, Tim White, and Lydia Living stone. Distributed by Colonial Encounters, New Zealand.
The Hawai'i International Film Festival - regarded as the premiere fi lm event in the Pacifi c-screened two New Zealand feature fi lms during the October 2006 fi lm season in Hawai'i - Samoan Wedding and No. 2. Signifi cantly, each fi lm features the writing, directorial (in the case of No. 2), and acting talents of Pacifi c Islanders, thus illuminating a critical change that has been taking place in the Pacifi c fi lm industry since the 1970s. Over the last three and a half decades, Pacifi c Islanders have been taking control of the camera and re-presenting their stories, experiences, and images through a unique indigenous lens.
The romantic comedy Samoan Wedding (released as Sione's Wedding in New Zealand) is replete with cultural markers that work well to elucidate the presence of Pacifi c Islanders on the New Zealand landscape. The fi lm's costume and production designers create a visual feast of tapa and fl oral prints, hibiscus motifs, and the ubiquitous Samoan lavalava, all of which provide the fi lm with an unmistakable Pacifi c fl avor, albeit selfconsciously at times. In one scene a lush taro patch and a traditional umu (earth oven) feature in a suburban backyard-here, Samoan cultural sensibilities overlap with urban realities in a dynamic way.
The fi lm's soundtrack-produced by Pacifi c Islander-owned record label Dawn Raid Entertainment and featuring the music of Polynesian artists such as Nesian Mystik and Fat Freddy's Drop - also provides a dynamic blend of contemporary sounds that refl ect New Zealand's vibrant Pacifi c hip-hop scene. Stylistically, the fi lm benefi ts from the directorial skills of Chris Graham (a Päkehä), who is well known in New Zealand for his award-winning music videos. Graham creates a riveting portrait of Samoan life within the folds of a multicultural, metropolitan cityscape. Panoramic scenes of the city of Auckland,...