Cinema of Samoa
Encyclopedia
Samoa
's first ever feature film
, The Orator
(O Le Tulafale), was released in 2011. Shot and set in Samoa, in the Samoan language
, it features a Samoan cast. It was produced with financial support from the Samoan government, in the hopes of showcasing Samoan culture
to an international audience, and of promoting Samoa as a tourist destination.
Prior to this, Samoa had only produced short films. Tusi Tamasese
, the writer and director of The Orator, had previously written and directed short film Sacred Spaces (Va Tapuia), which was screened in 2010 at the New Zealand International Film Festival, then at the ImagineNative International Film Festival in Toronto, and the Hawaii International Film Festival
.
Samoa has only one cinema
, the Magik cinema, owned by Maposua Rudolf Keil
. The screening of films there is subject to censorship
, and foreign films may be banned, in accordance with the Film Act 1978, for undermining the Christian faith
of viewers. Both The Da Vinci Code
and Milk
have been banned from screening in Samoa's cinema, the latter for being "inappropriate and contradictory to Christian beliefs and Samoan culture".
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
's first ever feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
, The Orator
The Orator
The Orator is a 2011 Samoan and New Zealand film written and directed by Tusi Tamasese. It is the first ever Samoan feature film, "entirely shot in Samoa, in the Samoan language, with a Samoan cast and story"...
(O Le Tulafale), was released in 2011. Shot and set in Samoa, in the Samoan language
Samoan language
Samoan Samoan Samoan (Gagana Sāmoa, is the language of the Samoan Islands, comprising the independent country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language—alongside English—in both jurisdictions. Samoan, a Polynesian language, is the first language for most...
, it features a Samoan cast. It was produced with financial support from the Samoan government, in the hopes of showcasing Samoan culture
Culture of Samoa
The traditional culture of Samoa is a communal way of life based on Fa'a Samoa, the unique socio-political culture of Samoa. In Samoan culture, most activities are done together. There are 3 main parts in the Samoan culture, that is faith, family and music.The traditional living quarters, or fale ,...
to an international audience, and of promoting Samoa as a tourist destination.
Prior to this, Samoa had only produced short films. Tusi Tamasese
Tusi Tamasese
Tusi Tamasese is a Samoan New Zealander film director.He is of high chiefly descent, of the Tupua Tamasese lineage....
, the writer and director of The Orator, had previously written and directed short film Sacred Spaces (Va Tapuia), which was screened in 2010 at the New Zealand International Film Festival, then at the ImagineNative International Film Festival in Toronto, and the Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
.
Samoa has only one cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
, the Magik cinema, owned by Maposua Rudolf Keil
Maposua Rudolf Keil
Maposua Rudolf Keil is a Samoan business man and owner of the Radio Polynesia 98FM radio station. In 1997 it was one of the only radio station in Western Samoa that were independently owned...
. The screening of films there is subject to censorship
Censorship in Samoa
The United States Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices in Samoa states that:"The law provides for freedom of speech and of the press, and the government generally respected these rights in practice and did not restrict academic freedom or the Internet. In general the...
, and foreign films may be banned, in accordance with the Film Act 1978, for undermining the Christian faith
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
of viewers. Both The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code (film)
The Da Vinci Code is a 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman and based on Dan Brown's worldwide bestselling 2003 novel, The Da Vinci Code...
and Milk
Milk (film)
Milk is a 2008 American biographical film on the life of gay rights activist and politician Harvey Milk, who was the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
have been banned from screening in Samoa's cinema, the latter for being "inappropriate and contradictory to Christian beliefs and Samoan culture".