The Orator (O Le Tulafale)

Samoa’s first feature length movie, The Orator (O Le Tulafale) is a story of love, honour and courage.

The Orator (O Le Tulafale), New Zealand, 2011

Blueskin Films Ltd
Director/writer: Tusi Tamasese
Producer: Catherine Fitzgerald
Assocatie producer: Maiava Nathaniel Lees
Camera: Leon Narbey
Editor: Simon Price
Composer & sound design: Tim Prebble
Production design: Rob Astley
Art directors: Pouoa Malae Liallia’i, Roger Guise
Costume design: Kirsty Cameron
Cultural advisors: Manu Asafo Maugatai, Tuitautai Henry Tamasese

With: Fa’afiaula Sagote (Saili), Tausili Pushparaj (Vaaiga), Salamasina Mataia (Litia), Ioata Tanielu (Poto)

35mm, 110 minutes, M-Contains violence & offensive language

Festivals: Orizzonit in Competition, Venice International Film Festival, 2011

“The first feature filmed entirely in Samoan, The Orator is a compelling drama with more to offer than just anthropological interest. An exploration of love, death and bitter family conflict that unfolds in sync with the relaxed rhythms of Pacific island life, this New Zealand production marks an auspicious feature debut for writer-helmer Tusi Tamasese... Filmed entirely in and around villages on Upolu, Samoa's most populated island, the story centers around a hamlet where Saili (tremendously soulful-eyed Fa'afiaula Sagote), a dwarf and the son of one of the village's late chiefs, lives with his average-statured wife, Vaaiga (an excellent Tausili Pushparaj, exuding the dignity of a queen), and Vaaiga's teenage daughter, Litia (Salamasina Mataia). Seventeen years ago, Vaaiga was banished from her own village when she conceived Litia out of wedlock. Now, Vaaiga's brother Poto (Ioata Tanielu) comes to visit and tries to persuade Vaaiga to return with him, convinced that making things right with her is the only way to heal his injured leg, but she'd rather go on living with Saili. A man of few words, Saili is in conflict with neighbors who insist on planting yams (which he cuts down regularly) around his parents' grave. He'd like to follow in his father's footsteps and succeed the current village chief, Tagaloa (Ga Sakaria), but Tagaloa doesn't think Saili is up to it, given his size and the way he is mocked by the other villagers. Just how hard it is for Saili to win respect is illustrated when he comes into conflict with Sio (Lino Lemana), a local man who's gotten Litia pregnant but refuses to own up to it. Tamasese gradually weaves the separate story strands together (fittingly, given the centrality of straw mats that various characters weave and give as gifts in the story), culminating in a scene in which Saili must make a ceremonial oration after a tragedy -- a touchingly crafted and performed sequence that grips as drama and as an insightful look at the Samoan way of life. Script offers an insider's view of a society that just about keeps a lid on simmering violence through complex, ritualized forms of group interaction and humor, a portrait that goes some way toward exploding the myth of Samoans as peace-loving, noble-savage proto-hippies. Balance of cultural insights and storytelling makes for a universally appealing yarn that renders the exotic comprehensible, although the film's stately pace may prove challenging to viewers with shorter attention spans. Finely composed lensing by ace Kiwi d.p. Leon Narbey (Whale Rider) works equally well in the lush outdoor locations and the darkened interior spaces where the often cross-legged characters square off against each other in a series of charged but soft-spoken confrontations. Melancholy score and sound design by Tim Prebble enhances the tragic mood without overdoing the emotions or the ethnic vibe.” - Leslie Felperin, Variety, 19/9/2011

“Polynesia finally gets its moment in the sun with this family drama set in an isolated Samoan village. The Orator provides a cinematic window into contemporary life on the island as well as an overview of more traditional aspects of Samoan culture. The film is a co-production with New Zealand and some of our most highly respected technicians make strong contributions. Cinematographer Leon Narbey and sound designer Tim Prebble combine to create a setting rich with lush, natural colour and atmospheric touches on the soundtrack. The result is an authentic world with a mythical quality that seems in tune with the palpable emotional content of the story. This is a movie that is more concerned with the importance of the characters’ intimate moments than it is with a fast-moving plot. Populating the cast is a predominantly untrained collection of locals. Their low key performances fit the mood and universal themes of the film, while a few moments of well-executed comic relief are on hand when things need livening up. Rookie writer/director Tusi Tamasese juggles these technical elements well but it’s the obvious empathy for his characters that is the most pleasing hallmark of his feature length debut.” — Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz

Screenings: The Orator screened on 9-12 May 2012 and on 16 May after a Screen Discussion with Tusi Tamasese and Catherine Fitzgerald about the making of the film.