Fiji filmmakers challenged to reclaim the Pacific narrative

Five Fiji teams are racing to turn ideas into finished films in just 48 hours, competing in the POP48, or People of Pasifika 48-hour film challenge. They are taking part alongside teams from Samoa, the Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands.

For Nicole Rex Taofinu’u, Pasifika TV’s chief of content, the challenge is about more than winning. She says Fiji has the creative talent to succeed, but the wider goal is to reignite creativity and give Pacific filmmakers control over how their communities are represented.

“We are storytellers. And we need to start telling our own stories from our authentic perspectives,” Taofinu’u says. Pacific stories have too often been told by outsiders, she says, and initiatives such as POP48 can put local voices back at the centre. “Let’s start telling our stories to the world instead of having people come in and tell our stories.”

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We are storytellers. And we need to start telling our own stories from our authentic perspectives.

Team Fiji producer Taitusi John says the group is moving beyond its usual work in advertising, promotions, live events and sports to try filmmaking. About 80 people are involved, bringing different skills, ideas and creative approaches to projects ranging from comedy to horror. Each team faces the same deadline: write, shoot and edit a four-to-six-minute film before the 48 hours run out.

The prize could offer opportunities beyond the competition. The winning team will travel to Hawaii for a masterclass and could gain production experience linked to an Apple TV project. The films will also be released online, allowing the public to vote.

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Let’s start telling our stories to the world instead of having people come in and tell our stories.