Pleased Everyone

Fiji Film That Pleased Everyone

Few motion pictures about Pacific Islands have been received with anything more than derision in the country in which they originated— I by being one of the few ex ceptions to this rule, the Shell Film it’s Two Men Of Fiji, has created le sort of record, The film had its premiere in Fiji in April, and in May was shown to cted audiences in all Australian

capital cities, it pleased both sets of audiences—quite an achievement in itself.

The Unit spent two months in Fiji — mostly in Lakeba, in the Lau Group and in Suva-filming the story which is a simple one of present-day native life.

The two young men who take the lead roles, Jaile Ataoga and Adrui Kombale, and those who supply the rest of the cast, for the matter of that, are naturals, as actors, and

the story unwinds itself without

any feeling of artificiality.

The dialogue is all in Fijian but a Fijian interpreter tells the story in English "above” the dialogue—an experiment in technique that is completely successful.

The “two men” of Fiji are a couple of youngsters, one who goes to Suva to attend the Central Medical School, and the other who just goes.

Number two leaves Lakemba without the permission of his chief and becomes a wharf labourer in Suva, and then the off-sider to a truck driver. All this, plus technicolour allows the camera to take in many of life in Fiji today, and at the same time, point the moral that, unless they are especially chosen, most young Fijian men are better off performing their com munity obligations back in the village, than in living in the back streets of Suva at the mercy of a

low-wage economy.

The film was produced by Bern Gandy, and directed by Brett Porter; and this is the first time that the Unit has made a film out side of Australia, although it has been in existence for over 10 years and has produced excellent documentaries that have won inter national praise.