Review by John Delia
Quite an undertaking with a very good result the movie Tanna tells a touching “Romeo and Juliet” story in the most striking way. Filmed on the island of Vanuatu in the South Pacific using tribes that still inhabit the volcanic isle, Directors Martin Butler and Bentley Dean fashion a story based on a true happening. Not the ordinary staged Shakespearean presentation, but one that has all the substance of the tale of forbidden love.
Wawa (Marie Wawa) has come of age within her remote native village of Yankel where several surrounding tribes are set apart by boundaries and agreements. She’s a lively young lady who enjoys her family and has had an eye on the chieftain’s son Dain (Mungau Dain). But their customs and laws like the other tribes on the island are not to marry within the tribe. Women are preordained to take a husband from a neighboring tribe appointed by that chief. Dain and Wawa know their station in life yet have become in love with each other.
The neighboring tribe the Imedin are a warrior based group who have held grudges over time that they still seethe within. One day a dispute has erupts over an incident and the two tribes have been gathered to straighten out their differences. As a gesture of friendship, Chief Charlie (Chief Charlie Kahla) offers Wawa to Chief Mikum (Chief Mikum Tainakou) in hopes they will keep the peace. So begins a tale of true love and the desperation to become bound together for life or death.
It’s not only the story that gets played out by actual villagers that makes this film important. The way it gets filmed and directed with agreements from the native tribes is actually astounding. Keeping true to their customs and beliefs, living with the tribe for months and having to shoot from minimal cameras the production surprisingly is excellent. Shots of the dense rainforest, inside huts, an active volcano and ash covered plateaus the cinematographer, co-director Bentley Dean, delivers an amazing film.
Tanna has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains nudity throughout and violence. The costumes of grass skirts and male organ sheaths are normal dress for the villages and were not altered for the production. Be cautious when deciding to allow immature children see the film as it does have some scenes that are inappropriate for adolescents.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very cool film with a different take on a classic love story. (A)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Mungau Dain, Marie Wawa, Marceline Rofit, Chief Charlie Kahla, Chief Mikum Tainakou, Chief Mungau Yokay, Kapan Cook Albi Nangia, Lingai Kowia,
Directed and written by: Martin Butler and Bentley Dean
Filmed by: Bentley Dean
Genre: Drama, Romance, True Story
MPAA Rating: Not rated, contains nudity throughout, violence
Running Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Release Date: September 30, 2016
Distributed by: Lightyear Entertainment