Noa, a 14 year old boy living on a remote South Pacific colony of Great Britain, is humiliated when his father is accused of stealing coconuts by his girlfriend's father, a rich Rotuman neighbor recently returned from Australia. The western court--ruled by a British colonial (known as district officer) who cannot speak the native tongue and a Rotuman interpreter--declares his father guilty. Realizing the interpreter's mistranslation of the facts from his hiding place outside the courtroom, Noa becomes deeply troubled and confused. A heavy fine imposed by the court causes Noa's father, mother, brother and a sister great hardship, culminating in the untimely death of his sickly father, Noa's only advocate in his pursuit of higher education overseas.

Devastated, and against the pleas of his girlfriend Mere, Noa flees into the jungle where, inspired by a myth his father had told him, he dresses himself in red leaves and long vines and wields a spear to resemble "the fearless female warrior of the jungle," the first inhabitant of the island. Seeing the sty where the pigs are held captive, he sets them free to invade the village and terrify his mourning relatives. And he dedicates himself to clearing his father's name and winning an educational scholarship to further his father's wishes that one day he will become a lawyer and an advocate of the truth.

Face to face with the Island's chiefs, the British district officer and the western-educated court interpreter during the interview for the overseas scholarship, Noa invokes the island's creation myth and an ancient belief that the " land has eyes and teeth" and always knows the truth. Suddenly the "female warrior of the jungle" emerges, chanting at the top of her voice, wielding a ceremonial staff and directing an army of spirit dancers; Noa's father is among them. In unison, they dance low to the ground as they move toward the Island's leaders, trample upon the court interpreter underfoot, then vanish. The court interpreter confesses to his evil schemes with Noa's rich neighbor, Noa's father's name is cleared, and Noa wins the overseas scholarship.

Three months later, when a cargo boat finally appears on the horizon, Noa is farewelled. As the boat pulls away toward the vast Pacific blue, Noa sees a community of relatives and friends on the beach waving and singing goodbye; Mere is among them. It is then he realizes that in leaving the island, he is being set adrift to face a new and dangerous world, alone.

Director's Statement

I have been a playwright and stage director for nearly two decades and filmmaking is a logical development from writing and directing for the stage. Since turning forty in 1994, I have felt compelled to become a filmmaker. There are several reasons for my taking this new direction mid-way in my career as a university professor teaching film, literature, and theater from the Pacific Islands.

The most important reason is that I am a storyteller and film is the most powerful medium for storytelling. I have been deeply influenced by films I have seen in the past, and I want to make films that will also move--possibly transform--the lives of people around the world. Second, as a creative artist, the craft of filmmaking is the most challenging of all the art forms. It brings together a creative team of artists with unique gifts to tell a story; this collaborative process of filmmaking is a challenge for the director, not only to produce a product of high-quality that will reach masses of people worldwide, but also to ensure that the process of making the product also enhances the quality of life for the creative artists. Third, people in the Pacific have been fed a diet of stories primarily from Hollywood, and it is now imperative that indigenous peoples of the Pacific are not just consumers of foreign products, but are also producers and creators of stories that reflect their realities. Pacific Islanders need to tell their stories from their point of view in order to dispel the many misrepresentations, as well as the many stereotypes, about themselves that exist in Hollywood films.

ISLAND DREAMS will be my first feature film. Prior to this, I have written and directed a documentary on Rotuman clowning (1989) and a short film titled JUST DANCING (1988). JUST DANCING is the story of a runway wife who learns how to dance from Hina, the Polynesian moon goddess. By getting in touch with her inner self as well as with her cultural roots, this runaway wife causes her abusive husband who is a policeman to question his roots and his values. Based on my latest play FINE DANCING, this short film had its world premiere at the 1998 Pusan International Film Festival in Korea, regarded as the most important film festival in Asia today. In 1988/89, JUST DANCING was also an official selection at the Hawaii International Film Festival, the Los Angeles Asia-Pacific Film Festival, and the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. It has also been screened at commercial theaters in San Francisco, Honolulu, and Suva in Fiji. The main purpose for the making of this short fictional film is for the writer/director and the producer (Jeannette Hereniko) to gain first-hand experience in working with a creative team, as well as with the technical aspects of the craft of filmmaking. Since making this short fictional film, I have further developed my knowledge and experience of filmmaking by taking courses at the American Film Institute and the Mark Travis Group in Los Angeles. I have also taken screenwriting courses, most notably that which was taught my one of the world's most well-known teachers of screenwriting, Robert McKee.

ISLAND DREAMS will use actors who are Rotumans and who speak the language and practice its customs and traditions. Capitalizing on the digital revolution, ISLAND DREAMS will be shot on the Digital Betacam, the same camera that was used to shoot JUST DANCING. Our experience with our short film convinces us of the wisdom of shooting on digital to cut down considerably on costs. The transfer to 35mill. will occur once a world-wide distributor for the film has been secured. The ideal scenario is for the costs of the transfer to film to be borne by the distributor.

Shot in color, ISLAND DREAMS will capitalize on the tropical scenery and the lifestyles of a unique group of Islanders with a rich cultural heritage. My goal is to capture the reality of the island and its people. To do this, I will not use the script which I have written. Instead, I will give the actors the situation and I will carefully monitor the results. Since the actors are Rotumans, and the dialog is in Rotuman, the actors will draw from their personal experiences to dramatize the incidents and create the dialog. Each of the actors will bring to his/her role a personal and specific interpretation of each scene and in this way, avoid the pitfalls of reenacting stereotypical attitudes and stilted dialog because of an overemphasis on plot. I believe that if this film is to succeed, then I as the director must not impose from the outside. Rather, I must encourage the actors who are steeped in the lifestyles depicted in this story to seek the truth from within themselves as well as the life of the island. My role therefore will be act as a catalyst so that the actors will be able to portray rich anecdotes that capture truths about life on Rotuma in the 1960s.

I have the training, the passion, and the determination to make this film. And I have, in my wife and producer Jeannette Hereniko, a partner who is just as talented and as committed to this product. But we do not want to sell this project to a Hollywood studio, even though we know that with studio backing, the financial needs of this project will disappear overnight. By deciding to produce this project independent of any studio interference, we will be able to maintain the purity and integrity of our vision. But it also means we will have to raise the money ourselves. Therefore we invite anyone or any organization that believes in us and this project to support us financially or in-kind. This is the only way we can raise the funds necessary to begin production on Rotuma in July 2001.

Any support given us will be credited in the film, press kits, and all promotional materials.

A new model of filmmaking in the Pacific Islands

The Context

"Island Dreams" will be the first feature film to shot on Rotuma, an isolated South Pacific island of approximately 2,500 people. Almost all the inhabitants are Rotumans who live in seven districts, with each district consisting of about 10 or more villages. Each village consists of about 10 households, with each household comprising family units which range from 3 to 10. Everyone lives near the beach, beyond which is a lagoon enclosed by a fringing reef.

The island is governed by a council of chiefs elected by the people, and a district officer who is chosen by the Fiji government as their representative on the island. In recent years, the district officer has been a Rotuman, as is the present situation. Several primary schools, one high school, a hospital and a post-office at Ahau where the government station is located, a wharf at Oinafa, and relatively large church buildings-belonging to either the Methodist or the Catholic churchÑare the main landmarks that dot the island. Lots of coconut trees and green vegetation grow in the hilly interior of the island. Separating the tropical jungle from the dwellings is a sandy road that snakes its way around the island. Several buses, a few private vehicles, motorcycles, and pedestrians use the road daily.

Most of the homes are made of concrete with corrugated iron roofing. Each household usually has a thatched hut nearby for cooking in the earthen oven or in open fires. Some of the villagers have a meeting house where they gather for large functions. The extended family is still very important, and in most villagers, everyone is related in one way or another and in crisis occasions such as weddings or funerals, everyone is present helping one another. The saying "Everyone on Rotuma is related to each other" may be a joke, but it is also an important truth that because the island is so small, everyone knows everyone else. Traditional values such as generosity, reciprocity, respect for the elders, honesty, and humility are still very much the way of life on the island. However, it is important to note that Rotuma is now part of the money economy, and in districts or villagers where there are large concrete houses and other obvious signs of western influences, neighborliness and harmony are values that are slowly eroding.

In Rotuma, small events can take on an unusual significance. Even the arrival of a white person on the island can be a major happening. Indeed, perhaps the most exciting weekly event on the island is the arrival of a small airplane from Fiji bringing into the island visitors or relatives returning from Fiji, and bringing with them material possessions and goods as well as the daily newspapers. The only other major contact with the rest of the world is a small cargo boat that arrives on the island about six times a year.

In 2000, the island of Rotuma enjoys the following amenities in most households: electricity, tap water, telephone, flush toilets, and refrigerators.

Possible Sources of Conflict

It is important that the arrival of a film crew on the island and their presence for a month do not unnecessarily cause conflicts or tensions within the community. The possible sources of tension are the following:

1. Rotumans on the island feeling that they, or their natural resources, are being exploited for economic gain.

2. Unrealistic expectations about what the film will mean for Rotumans who participate in it--that it will make them famous, or that it will change their present lifestyles.

3. Unruly or rude behavior by the crew causing resentment and disharmony among the inhabitants.

4. Jealousies because actors or hired help, in the island's terms, have become "rich" overnight, thus contributing to rising inequalities in this small community.

Pre-empting Conflict

The numbers below correspond to the numbers above. They explain how we intend to counter the possible sources of conflict identified above.

1. In July of 1999, the writer/director (who is Rotuman), requested a meeting with the Rotuma Council of Chiefs and the District Officer to explain the film project. At the meeting, the Council unanimously gave their blessings to the film project, after requesting that a copy of the treatment for "Island Dreams" be sent to the District Officer and made available to Council members. Thinking that a studio is backing the film project, one of the Council members requested that a sum of money be paid to the Council. When the writer/director explained that this is a small independent project that has no studio backing, the request was dropped. The writer/director also explained to Council members the factors that may keep this feature film confined to Pacific audiences -- unknown actors, an unproven director, and using a language spoken by less than 20,000 people (although it will be subtitled in English). All these make finding an international distributor(s) difficult, though not impossible. In spite of there being no studio backing, Te Maka Productions has decided to pay the sum of $1,000.00 to the Rotuma Island Council since they are the main custodian of the island's physical and cultural resources.

2. In July 2000, the writer/director and his co-producer/wife will visit the island and explain to the inhabitants the process of filmmaking and what it means to shoot a feature film on location. This will be an opportunity for Rotumans on the island to ask questions and to have them answered. This is also an opportunity to firm up decisions regarding the actual locations for shooting the film, the number of people who can expect to be involved, and the ways in which the process will be one of consultation and collaboration with the Rotumans living on the island. (Some of this work has been done already in July 1999 when the writer/director, at the request of the people, explained the project to the villagers of Hapmak and Itumutu.)

3. Everyone outside Rotuma who will be involved in the film project will meet in Fiji a week before departure to the island. A series of meetings will be held in which Rotuman culture will be explained to them by the writer/director as well as carefully chosen elders from the Rotuman community in Fiji. On arrival in Rotuma, the crew will stay together at Mea village where the writer/director is from. There are seven households in Mea village, all of which have been approached and are willing to host one or two members during production. Once settled in, a series of meetings will be held in which the crew will meet cultural and political leaders involved in the film project.

4. In order to distribute the little money available for this project in ways that will not disrupt the communal nature of Rotuma's culture, we have identified three broad areas in which this project can contribute funds to be used for everyone's benefit.

• Rotuma Island Council
• Rotuma High School library
• Rotuma Hospital
• the host villager where the film crew will be staying

Apart from the four sites above, the actors and the hired help on the island will need to be compensated in ways that are in line with the norm on the island. As a guideline, we will pay each of the actors the amount of money that a skilled carpenter on the island can expect to be paid. The hired help, from Rotuma or Fiji, and the extras as well, will be paid what is normal compensation on the island (please see the detailed budget below).

Skilled film crew from outside Fiji

Because this is a small independent film and the first of its kind, those who choose to be involved in "Island Dreams" will do so not because of the monetary gain, but because they believe in the cultural value of such a project. They may also believe in the importance of encouraging indigenous people from the Pacific to tell their own stories and to be in control of their own images. These are rewards enough in themselves for those who already have the financial resources and are not looking to this project to make ends meet. However, all expenses such as airfares, accommodation, transportation and meals will be paid for by Te Maka Productions. As is the case with the writer/director and the producers, payment is deferred until after all expenses have been paid from money raised and/or profits upon the film's distribution.

Cast

Noa: 14 year-old boy.

Mere: 13 year old girl.

Noa's Father: late 40s

Noa's Mother: early 40s

Hanisi: Noa's older sister, 14 years.

Pili: Noa's oldest brother, 16 years.

Mere's Father : mid 40s.

Jennifer, Mere's Mother: Australian, mid 40s.

Siko: late 20s.

Seven chiefs : ages ranging from 40-70

Thomas Clarke: English, late 50s.

Rako, Noa's teacher: female, late 30s.

Mata: Noa's grandmother, late 60s.

Mata's grandson: four years old.

Pili's friends: ages ranging from 15-18.

Noa's classmates

Fearless female warrior: fifty or older.

Mario, policeman: late 20s.

Tonu: Noa's uncle, early 50s.

Singers, dancers, and extras for village scenes, as well as a wedding, funeral, and wharf scene. 30 male dancers (warriors) also needed.

Co-Producer/Writer/Director

Vilsoni Hereniko is an award-winning playwright. He started writing plays when he was a student at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. As one of the Pacific's best-known playwrights, Hereniko's many plays have not only been produced, but published and studied in many schools and colleges in the Pacific and beyond. His work has been performed/produced in Suva, Honolulu, Hilo, Eugene, Guam, Auckland and London. Hereniko has also directed many plays for the stage, including his own.

Born on the island of Rotuma, Hereniko moved to Fiji when he was sixteen. He was educated in Fiji, England, and the United States. He is a fluent speaker of Rotuman, and has families, relatives, and friends on the island of his birth. A respected scholar and artist working and living in the United States at present, Hereniko is a Fiji citizen.

Hereniko was awarded a grant by the Hubert Bals Fund in Rotterdam to write the screenplay for ISLAND DREAMS. This is the first time this Fund has awarded a grant to a Pacific Islander to pen the script for a feature film. In 1997, Hereniko also won the prestigious Elliot Cades award in Hawaii, given to a "writer who has produced a significant body of work of exceptional quality."

Hereniko has written and directed a documentary and a short film. ISLAND DREAMS will be his debut in a feature film as writer, director, and producer.

Co-Producer and Creative Consultant

From l980 through mid 1996, Jeannette Paulson Hereniko was the Founding Director of the Hawaii International Film Festival. In this capacity she oversaw the raising and spending of an annual budget of over one million dollars; she hired and supervised a paid staff of up to 35 people and recruited and motivated over 300 volunteers. During her 15 years as Founding Director, she saw over 10,000 films from Asia, the Pacific, and North America for selection considerations, developing an eye and an ear for film productions that audiences will embrace. She not only brings these skills to the position of Co-producer of ISLAND DREAMS, but she has other relevant experience that will enrich the project. Before starting the Hawaii International Film Festival, that attracted film audiences of over 63,000 people, she was an award-winning producer-writer of television programs in Hawaii. From 1996 to the present time she is Director of the Asia Pacific Media Center (www.asianfilms.org) at the Los Angeles based University of Southern California. She is also President of NETPAC/USA (Network for the Promotion of Pacific and Asian Cinema) and an active member of the International Society of Specialty Film Exhibitors and Distributors (ISSFED). These current positions will play an important role in finding international specialty film exhibitors and distributors to screen ISLAND DREAMS in North America.

Note: Apart from the above, a Cinematographer, a Camera Operator, Line Producer, Production Designer, Sound Person, Script Supervisor, and Make-up/Stylist will also travel to Rotuma during the production phase of the project. The rest of the crew will be from Fiji and Rotuma.

Funding & Contact Information

Support for this project--financially or in-kind--is being sought.

Depending on each donor's eligibility, contributions to ISLAND DREAMS can be made either to a non-profit organization recognized by the United States of America's Internal Revenue Services (IRS) , NETPAC/USA, (Network for the Promotion of Pacific and Asian Cinema/USA), , or TE MAKA PRODUCTIONS, a corporation registered in the State of Hawaii for the purposes of producing this film. Those donating to NETPAC/USA will receive a tax deductible credit. Those contributing through TE MAKA PRODUCTIONS will be the first to receive their money back--before the producers and crew from outside Fiji--once film profits start coming to TE MAKA PRODUCTIONS.

The bookkeeper and accountant for the ISLAND DREAMS project is Harold Sasaki Inc., CPA, who has been in practice in Honolulu, Hawaii for more than 15 years, specializing in entertainment accounting. The books and budget are open for inspection to investors during the entire course of the production, post-production and distribution stages of the project.

For inquiries, please contact: Vilsoni and Jeannette Hereniko 6105A Summer Street Honolulu Hawaii 96821 U. S. A. Phone: 808-396-8353 fax: 808-396-1330 e-mail: jpmovies or vili@hawaii.edu