By Hera Hoi – EM TV Online
The Annual Oceania International Documentary Film Festival (FIFO) commenced on the 31st January 2015 and is screening 15 in competition films and 18 out of competition films from around Oceania.
This is FIFO’s 12th edition,and once again it has brought together, some of the best filmmakers and Television Professionals in Oceania to examine and feature aspects of Oceania’s states and islands by focusing on their social, economic, cultural and environmental topics.
Among the 15 in competition films, FIFO has brought to a global audience, a Solomon Islands film, The Test: Chronicles of an initiation that is centred on a young boy fishing for Tuna as part of his traditional ritual pass to prove his manhood.
Anoiuk Ride, the film producer of The Test told Radio New Zealand the tradition highlighted in the documentary has not been practiced for more than 30 years.
“Now, the tradition was lost around 30 years ago and they have just bought it back in the community of Aoriki in Solomon Islands. So we have filmed the first boy to successfully do this process. So the film has been selected for the official selection for competition here at FIFO and we have got a bit of feedback already from audiences and we are looking forward to more.”
Ride also highlighted that this is the first film ever to be directed by a Solomon Islander that has reached an international competition. He affirmed that this has been a ‘unique experience’ for his team.
While the film does not have any ‘obvious message like an advocacy film’, Rode states that his team’s passion is ‘for Solomon Islanders to tell their own stories’.
Meanwhile Papua New Guinea has two films part of the international film competition; Meri Markham, part of the films in competition 2015 and When we were Hela is categorised under the Films off competition 2015.
The winner will be announced on Saturday February 8th when FIFO comes to a close.
