Tanna (2015)

Set on a remote Pacific island, covered in rain forest and dominated by an active volcano, this heartfelt story, enacted by the Yakel tribe, tells of a sister's loyalty, a forbidden love affair and the pact between the old ways and the new.

Directors:

Martin Butler, Bentley Dean

Writers:

Martin Butler, John Collee

Stars:

Mungau Dain, Marie Wawa, Marceline Rofit

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mungau Dain	...	Dain
Marie Wawa	...	Wawa
Marceline Rofit	...	Selin
Charlie Kahla	...	Chief Charlie
Albi Nangia	...	Grandfather and Shaman
Lingai Kowia	...	Father
Dadwa Mungau	...	Grandmother
Linette Yowayin	...	Mother
Kapan Cook	...	Kapan Cook
Mungau Yokay	...	Peacemaking Chief
Mikum Tainakou	...	Imedin Chief
Charlie Kahla Junior	...	Yakel Tribe
Nakou Pia	...	Yakel Tribe
Chifan Benata	...	Yakel Tribe
George Nayun	...	Yakel Tribe

Storyline

Set on a remote Pacific island, covered in rain forest and dominated by an active volcano, this heartfelt story, enacted by the Yakel tribe, tells of a sister's loyalty, a forbidden love affair and the pact between the old ways and the new.

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Plot Keywords:

tribe | grandfather grandson relationship | warrior | ceremony | bludgeoning | 

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Taglines:

Two tribes. One love.

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Australia Vanuatu

Language:

Aboriginal

Release Date:

10 March 2016 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Taboo

Filming Locations:

Tanna, Vanuatu

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,711, 16 September 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$5,711, 16 September 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Contact Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first ever Australian-made film to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

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Quotes

Wawa: I've missed you. You've been away too long.
Dain: You're all grown up now. A beautiful butterfly.

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Connections

Featured in The Oscars (2017)

User Reviews

A rare film from the South Pacific

Tanna is a small island in the South Pacific, part of the nation of Vanuatu. The traditional way of life is still prevalent there, so Western sensibilities have to be put to one side for this film featuring tribal dances, pig slaughtering and penis sheaths.

Dain is a chieftain's grandson and Wawa granddaughter of a shaman. The pair are in love, but when a long-standing rivalry with a neighbouring tribe once more erupts into violence, Wawa's hand in marriage is promised to a warrior of that tribe as part of peace negotiations. Forbidden by their elders from being together, Wawa and Dain resolve to defy their families.

So far, so Romeo and Juliet. Except that this is based on actual events that happened barely thirty years ago, making the film an account of a relatively recent way of life on the isolated island - unsurprisingly, as directors/producers/scriptwriters Martin Butler and Bentley Dean usually work on documentaries. As you would expect from a cast of non-professionals, the acting is of variable quality, but the cinematography - from the lush forest to the barren landscape of the island's volcano, lit only by occasional eruptions of lava - is stunning. And how often do you see a film from the South Pacific?