Samoan Film Database
The list below, whilst not complete, is we believe quite comprehensive. It includes films about Samoan culture, feature films shot in Samoa and several films about Samoans living away from Samoa. We have tried to provide contact information whenever possible, but this is turning out to be quite a slow process. Rather than wait until we have received all the information we have decided to put this up as a work in progress.
A Chief in Two Worlds (1992) 52 minutes
Director: Micah van der Ryn
Produced by: The Center for Visual Anthropology, University of Southern California. In English and Samoan with English subtitles
Published by: University of California Extension, Center for Media and Independent Learning: Berkeley, CA
Distrubuted by: University of California Extension
Synopsis: Shows a Samoan chieftain and his family caught between the urban life in Los Angeles and the island life on Samoa. The family travels to Western Samoa to participate in a matai ceremony. In English and Samoan with English subtitles.
A Conversation with Ruth Tuiteleleapaga and artist Reggie Meredith-Malala (1996) 28 minutes
Produced by: Pacific Islanders in Communications
Interviewer: Lurline McGregor
Publisher: Honolulu, Hawaii
Distributed by: Pacific Islanders in Communications
Series: The Filmmaker Forum
Synopsis: Tuiteleleapaga, producer/director of the documentary The Samoan Heart, and Meredith-Malala, who was featured in the documentary, discuss the making of the film and how it dealt with personal struggle and issues of identity as well as with the artists and their art
American Samoa (1958) 17 minutes
Synopsis: A tour of American Samoa which shows scenes of Pago Pago and villages and describes the principal products of the islands, the government, and education.
American Samoa (1972) 55 minutes
Distributor: Pacific Educational Network
Synopsis: This program portrays the basic elements of Samoan culture and tradition. It gives a historical account of the islands that shows the growth of the islands in terms of politics, economics, and the existing social structures.
American Samoa: Heart of Polynesia (1994) 15 minutes
Cast: Peter Tali Coleman, Governor: Paul Stevenson, South Pacific Resources, Inc.: Bob Coulter, NAPA Auto Parts.
Producer: US Office of Territorial and International Affairs
Distributor: Department of the Interior, US Government
Synopsis: Informational video directed toward American business policymakers. The video details the financial opportunities now available. The tape features scenes of contemporary life in American Samoa and includes interviews with the current Governor of the Territory. Orginally released c1980
American Samoa: Paradise Lost? (1969) 55 minutes
Producer: Dan Klogherz
Director: Dan Klogherz
Editor: Dena Burger
Produced by: Indiana University
Distributor: Indiana University (sale and rental); UCEMC (rental)
Synopsis: The traditional lifestyle followed by Polynesians of American Samoa is being altered by its governing authority, the United States. The Americans have introduced a value system that stresses the need to accumulate money to a people who, in the past, have lived with the emphasis upon mutual rather than individual gain.
Atugalalaga I Le AIDS (1996) 15 minutes
Director: Glen Hughes
Producer: Glen Hughes
Distributor: Pasifika
Synopsis: Examines the present situation of AIDS in Western Samoa; educational efforts to prevent AIDS; the ability of health services to handle it; and presents the controversial case of one young man who contracted the disease in New Zealand and returned home to die.
Auckland Fa'a Samoa (1982) 60 minutes
Producer: George Andrews
Distributor: TVNZ
Synopsis: Narrator Albert Wendt discusses Samoan community life in New Zealand through interviews with families and individuals in various settings: church, homes, and work.
The Best Kept Secret: Western Samoa (1973) 16 minutes
Producer: Davy Tristram, Jamie Wilson
Produced by: Journal Films
Distributor: Journal Films, AGC/United Learning
Synopsis: A cine-poem illuminating the varied moods and scenes of Western Samoa, from sunrise to sunset: the people, traditional dances and chants, the kava ceremony, a day at the horse races, a ladies' cricket match, tourists, the annual long boat races.
Bodyspeak (1983) 9 minutes
Director: Gregor Nicholas
Distributor: The New Zealand Film Archive
P O Box 11-449
1st Floor
The Film Centre
Cnr Cable Street & Jervois Quay
WELLINGTON
Phone: 64 4 384 7647
Fax: 64 4 382 9595
email: info@nzfa.org.nz
Synopsis: Juxtaposes elaborate dances from different cultures (a Samoan ceremonial dance, a drum dance from the Cook Islands, and a tango), each carrying its ritual significance. Notions of sexual and cultural differences and prejudice are examined through techniques of cultural collision.
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) 121 minutes
Director: Steven Hilliard Stern
Synopsis: The Olympic champion swimmer narrates, but does not star in, his life story. Racism (he's half Samoan, and the other kids called him "nigger"), a difficult relationship with his demanding, distant adopted father, trouble with alcohol, coming to terms with his gayness, discovering his abusive manager-lover and he are both HIV-positive -- there's a lot of darkness in this man's life, and this biopic doesn't back away from it. But his gifts as a diver help him find courage and the strength to cope.
Bride of Samoa (1930)
Producer: Central Films
Synopsis: This film combines documentary and Hollywood footage to present a "Thrilling Adventure Among the Siva Dancers."
Charlotte's Story (1992) 20 minutes
Producer: SPC and Pacific Islands AIDS and STD Prevention Project
Synopsis: Interview with a Samoan mother whose son died from AIDS. Describing her reaction and those of her family when they first learned that he was diagnosed as having HIV. Argues that it is imperative for Islanders to be able to speak openly about sex and sexuality.
Chiefs (1984) 28 minutes
Producer: Pachyderm Productions
Synopsis: Impressions of Western Samoa are given through views and descriptions of the independence day celebrations. Covers historical and cultural information.
Children of Samoa (1947) 20 minutes
Producer: Cine'-Pic Hawaii Corp
1847 Pacific Heights Rd
Honolulu
Hawaii
Tel: (808) 533-2677
Distributor: Cine'-Pic Hawaii Corp
Synopsis: Representative activities of Samoan youngsters at work and at play in a typical Samoan village, and some of the festivities celebrated by the villagers. Included are scenes of tapa making, a kava ceremony, Flag Day celebration, a funeral, children's games, and bonito fishing.
A Chief in Two Worlds (1992) 52 minutes
Director: Micah van der Ryn
Producer: Center for Visual Anthropology, USC
Distributor: University of California Extension, Center for Media and Independent Learning
Synopsis: This unusual documentary focuses on a Samoan resident of Los Angeles and follows him and his family on a dramatic journey to Western Samoa. In a formal ceremony he is invested as a matai (traditional Samoan chief). Examines his new role in the Samoan community of Los Angeles following his return. A superb introduction to Samoan culture and a vivid profile of a man coming to terms with two different cultural traditions. Also a remarkable study of cultural change and resilence and the role of traditional culture and political structures in new transnational contexts.
Chiefs (1984) 20 minutes
Producer: Summer Banner
Director: Doug Seelig
Produced by: Pachyderm Productions
Writers: John Mayer and Fepuleai Tavita Tanielu
Synopsis: Impressions of Western Samoa are given through views and descriptions of the independence day celebrations. Covers historical and cultural information.
Children of Samoa (1972) 20 minutes
Director: Brad Powell
Distributor: Pacific Educational Network
Synopsis: Everyday activities and festivities, along with scenes of boys and girls at work and play, offer a glimpse into child-rearing among the Samoans.
Children of Samoa (1982) 16 minutes
Produced by: Gibson Film Productions
Series: Children of the World
Distributor: Journal Films
Synopsis: Ilasa and Mose live in the village of Matautu in Western Samoa. This film shows their lifestyle and that of their family. The children are seen at the small village school enjoying village games and doing their part in the important task of gathering food for the village. The cooperative nature of the extended family as it exists in Samoa is clearly seen.
Children of Samoa (1995) 20 minutes
Director: George Tahara
Photographer: George Tahara
Narrative by: William Davenport
Narrator: Art Hansen
Dristributed by: Ciné-Pic Hawaii Corp.
Synopsis: Shows scenes of life on Ta`u, American Samoa: children's games, fetching water, making a canoe, fishing, a funeral, rethatching a house, taro farming, picking breadfruit and coconuts, making mats, a kava ceremony, dancing, and preparations for a festival. Originally produced as motion picture in 1947.
Coming of Age (1986) 52 minutes
Series: Pioneers of Social Anthropology
Producer: Central Independent Television
Distributor: Films for the Humanities; UCEMC
Synopsis: Film about Margaret Mead, one of the foremost fieldworkers of her day, who studied adolescence in Samoa. She claimed that in Samoa, this was the most enjoyable and happy time of life.
Concern for our Youth (1996) 17 minutes
Director: Dale Hermanson
Producer: Jiko Luveni
Distributor: Pasifika
Series: UNFPA
Synopsis: Population concern in the towns of Western Samoa has created a situation where the families of young boys and girls can no longer afford to send all of their children to school. Instead they are sent into the streets to collect bottles, sell papers and perform any other basic kind of income generating activity to help their families. Viewed in the context of other population pressures, the video examines the high incidence of suicide prevalent among young Samoan boys. In Samoan.
Conversations with Albert Wendt (1993) 30 minutes
Series: Spectrum Hawaii
Synopsis: Two literary scholars, Albert Wendt and Vilsoni Hereniko discuss the complexity of Pacific literature and art, the correlation between the political struggles of indigenous peoples and their respective literary and art movements.
Cross-Cultural Approaches to Conflict Resolution (1991) 51 minutes
Produced by: Hawai'i Research Center for Futures, on a grant from the State Justice Institute
Synopsis: Covers issues surrounding culturally different perceptions of conflict and alternate methods of settling disputes.
Destination Samoa - New Zealand Samoans Between Two Cultures
Directed by: Peter Mesenhöller and Rolf Husmann
Eaten Alive (Episodes 1, 5, and 7) (1998) 15 minutes
Producer: Stephen Stehlin, New Zealand/Aotearoa
Series: Tala Pasifika
Synopsis: Cross-dressing, Samoan television chefs whip up various Samoan dishes in the kitchen and hobnob with Maori and Samoan celebrities. Short segments from the popular television series.
Eddie’s Aiga: A Samoan Youth Justice Story (1995)
Produced by: Produced by: Legal Resources Trust, Wellington, NZ
Fa'a Samoa: The Samoan Way () 17 minutes
Producer: Documentary Films
Distributor: Documentary Films
Synopsis: This film can be used to study a culture filled with contrast and an awareness of how climate and environment influence a people's lifestyle. It fosters respect and appreciation for the resourcefulness of a small cultural group.
Fa'a Samoa (1972) 28 minutes
Producer: James Siers
Produced by: New Zealand Department of Education
Distributor: New Zealand Department of Education
Synopsis: Filmed on the island of Upolu, Western Samoa. Shows Samoan culture and many aspects of contemporary Samoa including shark roping and tattooing. Sponsored by, and made for educational concerns in New Zealand because of the influx of Samoans to that country.
Fa'a Samoa: [The Samoan Way] (1988) 30 minutes
Presenter: Kelli Abe
Produced by: KGMB TV, Honolulu, Hawaii
Distributor: KGMB TV, Honolulu, Hawaii
Synopsis: Kelli Abe visits American Samoa and discusses the Samoan way of life, including the system of justice, the development of tourism, law and order, the hurricane of 1987 and subsequent recovery aid from Hawai'i, and dissatisfaction with Hawaiian Air, the only regularly scheduled air service.
Fa'a Samoa: Yesterday & Today (1993) 20 minutes
Director: Fabio Golombek, Greg Neri
Producer:Bruce Royer, Clifford Cohen
Produced by: Octus Productions
Written by: Fabio Golombek, Gregory Neri, Susan J. Bousseau
Narrated by: David Coleman
Distributor: Los Angeles Count office of Education
Synopsis: The United States has become, in the past 40 years, the new home of one of the strongest cultures of Polynesia: the Samoan culture. Building an understanding between the American and Samoan cultures has been a slow and challenging process. The fundamental differences are not easily overcome and have raised many questions. Most Americans are unaware of the rich cultural heritage of the Samoans. To better understand the Samoan way of life-called Fa'a Samoa-and the complex challenges that Samoans face in America, one has to go back to the roots of the culture.
Fanfen von Palolowurm Segmenten auf Samoa (1965) 7 minutes
Director: R J Marschall
Synopsis: Capturing palolo worm segment. Bei Morgengrauen gehen die Einwohner in Gruppen an die Küste und fischen dort im flachen Wasser stehend mit Handnetzen die frei schwimmenden epitokes Hinterenden von Eunice viridis. Die Wurmer werden roh oder gedünstet verzehrt.
Fatu Feu'u (1992)
Producer: Learning Media
Distributor: Books Pasifika
Series: New Zealand Artist
Synopsis: The video focuses on many aspects of this Pacific artist's work with teachers' notes and slides.
Fifth Festival of Pacific Arts: The Polynesians (1988) 60 minutes
Produced by: Na Maka o ka Aina, Honolulu
Synopsis: Description of the performances, stories and crafts from the Cook Islands, Tonga, Tokelau, Aotearoa (New Zealand), American Samoa, Western Samoa, Niue, Tuvalu and Wallis & Futuna at the 5th Festival of Pacific Arts held in Townsville, N. Queensland, Australia. Filmed at Festival of Pacific Arts, Townsville, Australia
Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree (1989)
Producer: Grahame Mclean
Synopsis: Drama of a young Samoan man's rite of passage, adapted from a novel by Albert Wendt. Afatia Aloese stars.
Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree (1990) 90 minutes
Director: Martyn Sanderson
Distributor: NZFC
Synopsis: Based on a story by Albert Wendt. Pepe is a young Samoan living a life of defiance against his father's search for money and success and the Christianity of contemporary Samoan society in favor of the values and beliefs of "traditional" Samoa.
Fury of "Val": A Pacific Island Story (1994) 15 minutes
Director: Rudy Bartley
Cast: Tofiga Sua
Distributor: USP-IRETA, Electronic Media Unit
Synopsis: Describes Cyclone Val, which struck Western Samoa on 6-8 December 1991, and the steps Western Samoa has taken to minimize vulnerability to future natural disasters.
Glimpse of Upolu, Western Samoa (1956) 20 minutes
Produced by: Martin Moyer Productions
Series: Pacific Islands
Synopsis: A travelogue of Western Samoa, discussing its geographical, historical, and social significance. Includes views of Vailima, the home of Robert Louis Stevenson, and of his tomb at the summit of Mt. Vaea. In black and white
Growing taro the Samoan way (1973)
Author: Fotulafa`i Matuauto
Synopsis: Shows how taro is grown in Samoa. Unlike Hawaiian taro cultivation which is done in patches flooded with water, Samoans grow taro in unflooded but wet soil.
Human Face of the Pacific (1983) 92 minutes
Director: Dennis O'Rourke
Producer: Dennis O'Rourke
Distributor: TLC; Film Australia
Series: Human Face of the Pacific
Synopsis: Introduction to the series of the same title. Shows the variety of ways of life from subsistence to urbanization and the challenges from outside to what has been called the Pacific Way. Covers Kiribati, Bikini, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Samoa, and Fiji.
The Hurricane (1979) 131 minutes
Director: Jan Troell
Producer: Paramount
Synopsis: Dino De Laurentis' updating of the epic adventure of lust, passion, desire, and disaster in the South Pacific. From the novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, authors of the Bounty trilogy. Starring Jason Robards Jr, Mia Farrow, Max von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Dayton Kane. Filmed in Samoa.
Ia Manuia [alcohol treatment] (1994)
Produced by: Pacific Island Health Council, Wellingtion, NZ
Independence Day 1997 35 anniversary celebrations (1997) 270 minutes
Produced by: Accent Tatiana Productions
Cast: A/vou Katoliko-Saleimoa ; Laoso ; Poufa ; Eiks Vaiala ; Tiama`a ; Penina Tiafau ; Fiafia Trio ; A/vou Katoliko-Leauva`a ; A/vou Metokisi-Tufulele ; Taupotaota Trio ; Fasito`o ; Fa`aetete Manu A/vou Katoliko-Leulumoega ; Vailele
Synopsis: Features traditional Samoan dances and songs at the 35th Independence Day celebrations held in Apia, Western Samoa in 1997.
The Island of Drums (1982) 27 minutes
Produced by: Journal Films, Hemisphere Productions, Video International
Distributor: Journal Films
Music: Larry Grossman
Series: Storybook International
Synopsis: In this folktale, filmed on location in Samoa, the son of a village chief angers the drum chief when he forgets to properly thank him for a drum he has chosen in order to call the Islanders to council. Consequently, the drum's voice is taken away and a different way must be found to call the men to council.
Island of Lost Souls (1993) 70 minutes
Director: Erle C Kenton
Producer: Paramount
Synopsis: Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi in an adaptation of an H G Wells story involving a mad scientist on a South Seas island who tries to create humans from animals by speeding up their evolution. His many failures result in half human creatures. The mad doctor's only true success is his panther woman whom he passes off as a Polynesian woman and tries to mate with one of his guests. Early scenes in Apia, Samoa. In black and white.
Island Voyages: State of the Art World Travel (1994) 45 minutes
Director: Todd Lynch
Distributor: Surfer Publications
Series: Surfer Magazine World Travel Video; v.3
Synopsis: Documentary film shows surfers enjoying the waves in Baja California, Fiji, Samoa, Tavarua, Tahiti, Santos Islands, and the East Indies.
Islands of Light: South Pacific Dance () 10 minutes
Director: David Robertson
Producer: Huia Films
Distributor: NZFC
Synopsis: Journeys from equatorial Samoa and the Cook Islands to subtropical North Island, New Zealand. Against this dramatic South Pacific landscape the film reveals the exciting and colorful variations in dance styles of the Polynesian people of these islands.
Laulima Working together (1995) 30 minutes
Director: Michael Verschuur Powell
Producer: Merrie Carol Grain
Synopsis: This program profiles four Pacific Islanders who overcame disabilities to create art. Althea Serrao creates and teaches the art of Hawaiian quilting; Rudy Steffany and Tony Hema from American Samoa are mouth painters; and Makia Malo entertains others through his storytelling and Hawaiian chants. Originally broadcast Feb. 14, 1995, on the program Spectrum Hawaii, on KHET, Honolulu.
Life in Samoa (1946) 11 minutes
Director: George Tahara
Producer: Cine'-Pic Hawaii Corp
1847 Pacific Heights Rd
Honolulu
Hawaii
(808) 533-2677
Distributor: Cine'-Pic Hawaii Corp
Synopsis: Village life, including a wedding ceremony filmed on Ta'u Island, Manu'a Islands. re-released in 1987
Listen to Our Voice (1970)
Distributor: Juniper Films
Synopsis: Listen to our Voice is a film about the 1970 visit of the Pope to Western Samoa.
Margaret Mead and Samoa (1988) 51 minutes
Director: Frank Heimans
Producer: Frank Heimans
Writer: Frank Heimans
Director of Photography: John Thornton
Editor: Richard Dale
Cast: Margaret Throsby
Produced by: Cinetel Productions, Sydney, Australia in association with Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Discovery Channel
Distributor: Wombat Film and Video
250 West 57th St.
Suite 916
New York
NY 10019
Tel: 800 542 5554
Brighton Video
New York
Synopsis: After collecting evidence for forty years, in 1983 anthropologist Derek Freeman published his refutation of Margaret Mead's account of a Samoa free of conflict and the stresses of modern society. It was an academic bombshell that created the greatest controversy in the history of anthropology-one which this video attempts to resolve.
Margaret Mead, American Anthropologist (1988) 12 minutes
Distributor: Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Series: Against the Odds
Synopsis: A pioneer in the infant science of anthropology, Margaret Mead stepped outside the conventional roles assigned to women of her time to make important and lasting contributions to her field. Her trips to New Guinea, Samoa, and Bali were documented in books that became popular reading.
Margaret Mead: Coming of Age () 52 minutes
Distributor: Films for the Humanities & Sciences
Synopsis: Although her fieldwork has been criticized, Margaret Mead was one of the foremost fieldworkers of her day. In the US, Bali, and New Guinea, she examined child development, sex, and temperament to see what role society plays in making people what they are. She emphasized that humans arrange their social worlds in many different ways, and that qualitative judgments cannot be made between them.
Margaret Mead: An Observer Observed (1995) 85 minutes
Director: Virginia Yans-McLaughlin
Distributor: Filmmakers Library
Synopsis: A fascinating portrait of one of the most influential women of our time. Using never-before-seen archival footage, stills, interviews, and dramatic re-creations, it weaves together a story of a scientist, adventurer, and international celebrity whose ideas shaped how we think about ourselves.
Matai Samoa (1998) 68 minutes
Presented by: Lalomilo Kamu & Christina Toren
Publisher: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, London
Filmed by: George Milner
Edited by: Kevin Brooks
Produced by: GB Milner
Synopsis: Shows archival footage of social life, customs and handicrafts filmed by George Milner in Samoa during 1955 and 1959, followed by discussion and analysis with a Samoan scholar.
Moana of the South Seas (1980) 83 minutes
Distributor: Monica Flaherty
Synopsis: In 1975, Robert and Frances Flaherty's daughter, Monica Flaherty, went to Savaii and Hawai'i to develop a soundtrack for Moana in order to preserve Flaherty's work. The result is a sound version the film, Moana. In black and white
Moana: A Romance of the Golden Age (1926) 66 minutes
Produced, Directed and Written by: Robert Flaherty
Producer: Paramount
Current Publisher: Grapevine Video
P.O.Box 46161
Phoenix
Arizona 8506
USA
Tel: +1 602 973-3661
Fax: +1 602 973-2973
Distributor: Museum of Modern Art (rental)
Synopsis: Robert Flaherty and his wife, Frances, spent twenty-one months in Samoa observing, recording, and trying to understand Samoan life. The result was Moana, filmed in the village of Safune on the island of Savaii, Western Samoa. Scenes of village life are woven together around the romance of Moana and Faangase, Moana's achievement of manhood in the tattooing ritual, and the young couple's wedding. In black and white
New Americans: Polynesians (1994) 29 minutes
Director: Diane Nelson
Editor: Roxanne Bruns
Producers, Jan Yanehiro, Beth Silverstein
Produced by: KCSM TV
Panel: Nancy Lomu (Tonga), Jesse Sapolu (Samoa), Salesi Katoanga (Fiji)
Distributor: National Asian American Telecommunications Association
Synopsis: A panel of immigrants to America from the Pacific Islands discusses identity issues among Polynesian communities in the United States today. They respond to questions from the audience about stereotyping, generational differences between children and first-generation immigrant parents, and questions of identity.
A New Day in Samoa (1960) 21 minutes
Producer: New Zealand National Film Unit
Synopsis: Illustrates everyday life in the then UN Trusteeship of Western Samoa, such as the growing of crops, the port of Apia, church building, and the work of New Zealand government officers and administrators in preparation for self-government.
A New Morning (1960s) 22 minutes
Producer: Uniting Church in Australia
Distributor: Uniting Church in Australia
Synopsis: Outlines the work of the Methodist Church in Western Samoa.
The New Pacific (1985) 480 minutes
Produced by: A BBC TV production and RM Arts
Publisher: Films Incorporated, Chicago, IL, USA
Cast: Peter France
Contents 1. The Pacific age. -- 2. Echoes of war. -- 3. Over rich, over sexed, over there. -- 4. Return to paradise. -- 5. Fifty ways. -- 6. For richer, for poorer. -- 7. Jugs to be filled. -- 8. Shadow of the rising sun
Synopsis: A series of eight tapes on the Pacific Basin area which contains a third of the worlds population. In this area live all the major races of mankind, every kind of society and social organization, every stage of human development and each of the world's great religions
The Pacific Age Dynamic economic growth in the countries on the Asian rim of the Pacific has transformed world trade.
Echoes of War As the prosperity of the Pacific increases, so does its strategic importance to the world's major powers.
Over Rich, Oversexed, Over There The Pacific is an ideal example of traditional culture actually being strengthened by tourism.
Return to Paradise How can the Pacific island peoples maintain their traditional values in the face of technological change?
Fifty Ways to Get Enlightened Many of the world's major religions are found in the Pacific - Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
For Richer, For Poorer This program compares weddings in several Pacific nations to reveal their differing social attitudes.
Jugs to be Filled This program compares schools and universities in Japan, Korea, California, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.
Shadow of the Rising Sun The prosperity of the Pacific Rim nations is challenging American economic dominance.
Nomads of the Wind (1994)
Produced by: BBC TV, London, England
Synopsis: 6 Episodes, The Faraway Heaven, Crossroads of the Pacific, Burning their Boats, Distant Horizons, The Pierced Sky
A Nuclear Free Pacific ()10 x 26 minutes
Producer: Juniper Films
Distributor: Journal Films; TCSP
Series: Ocean of Dreams, Currents of Change
Synopsis: In this ten-part series, viewers are shown the dazzling diversity of cultures and traditions of the South Pacific islands. Presented are ten island nations: Tuvalu, Fiji, Kiribati, Western Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue, Cook Islands, Tonga. Depicts the way the people of these islands see modernization influencing their world.
Omai Fa'atasi: Samoa Mo Samoa (1974) 30 minutes
Director: Takashi Fujii
Producer: Visual Communications
Synopsis: The dilemmas and challenges facing Samoan Americans are frankly explored in this film about Omai Fa'atasi, a Southern Californian community group. One of the first films documenting Pacific Islander communities on the North American continent.
Pacific Cultural Programme (1992) 96 minutes
Produced by: Samoan students USP, Fiji University of the South Pacific
Synopsis: A program of traditional singing, dancing and drumming presented by the Samoan Students Association of the University of the South Pacific as part of the annual Pacific Cultural Programme.
Pacific Passages: An Up-Close Look Islands & People (1997)
Produced by: Pacific Pathways/Palm Frond
The Pacific World () 45 minutes
Producer: Educational Design
Distributor: Zenger Media; Social Studies School Service
Synopsis: This five-part program explores the farflung islands of the Pacific world by contrasting the diverse economic, cultural, and historical conditions of the region. Part 1: provides an overview of the history and culture of Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands. Part 2: contrasts the various ways of life in the Samoas and the Society Islands. Part 3: explores the many unique foods and commodities of Oceania. Part 4: focuses on two developing Melanesian nations: Fiji and Papua New Guinea. Part 5: explores the art, craft styles, and forms of leisure in Melanesia and Polynesia, speculating on the future prospects of Oceanic cultures.
Pacifica: Tales from the South Seas (1993)
Produced by: Juniper Films
Synopsis: 3 Episodes
Paradise Bent: Boys Will Be Girls in Samoa (1999)
Directed by: Heather Croall
Produced by: ReAngle Pictures, Australia: SBS International: Channel 4, UK
Distibutor: Beyond International
Synopsis: A documentary on the traditional Samoan culture of male cross-dressers
Pigs and Kava (1920)
Produced by: Outing-Chester, USA
Synopsis: A documentary on life among the natives of Samoa, purporting to demonstrate the cannabalistic activities of the indigenous people of the islands.
Polynesian Culture (1958) 21 minutes
Producer: Barr
Distributor: Barr
Synopsis: Shows the basic pattern of the traditional way of life as it still exists in the villages of American Samoa and explains how the self-sufficient Polynesians use their island resources to meet their daily needs.
Prisoners of Paradise (1985) 60 minutes
Producer: BBC TV
Distributor: BBC
Synopsis: A fresh look at the Margaret Mead-Derek Freeman controversy. Looks at the lives of young people in American and Western Samoa. Presents a bleak picture of adolescence in Samoa: suicides, adjustments between traditional and modern influences. Features anthropologist Bradd Shore.
Private War of Lucinda Smith (1990)
Director: Ray Alchin
Producer: Revcom, Australia
Synopsis: Three women take revenge on a man. Set and filmed in Samoa.
Rain (1932) 93 minutes
Producer: United Artists
Distributor: Kit Parker (rental); Memory Lane
Synopsis: W. Somerset Maugham's powerful story of a sexually repressed missionary stranded in Pago Pago, who tries to reform a prostitute, Sadie Thompson. Filmed in Samoa. Joan Crawford and Walter Huston. In black and white
Ray Mears' World of Survival: Western Samoa (1996) 25 minutes
Produced by: BBC TV
Synopsis: Ray Mears looks are fale construction, canoe building, traditional fishing techinques and the many uses for coconut. Filmed at Falealupo, Savai'i. Some interviews with Moelegi Jackson.
Religion in the South Seas (1995) 28 minutes
Produced by: Juniper Films: Films for the Humanities: Discovery Channel
Scriptwriter: Nadine Amadio
Narrators: Guy Blackmore, John Tristram, I. James Wilson
Distributed by: Dandelion Distribution Limited
Synopsis: Shows church history and Christianity in South Seas.
Richard’s Aiga: A Samoan Care and Protection Story (1995)
Produced by: Legal Resources Trust, Wellington, NZ
Robert Louis Stevenson in Samoa (1995) 12 minutes
Produced by: Films for the Humanities (Firm); Juniper Films
Cast: Robert Barlow, Fuimaona F. Tupua
Series: Pacifica: Tales from the South Seas
Synopsis: Re-enacts the final years of Robert Louis Stevenson.
Royal Boy of Samoa (1977) 28 minutes
Produced and Distributed by: Ciné-Pic Hawaii Corp.
Narrator: Kimo Kahoano
Cast: George Tahara, Tufele Faiaoga
Synopsis: A romanticized docu-drama of village life and growing up in Samoa.
Samoa (1948) 16 minutes
Director: F W Murnau, Robert Flaherty
Producer: New Zealand National Film Unit
Synopsis: Depicts the main geographical and social features of Western Samoa at the time of the New Zealand administration. Shows church building, food resources, dances, traditional houses, and educational and medical services.
Samoa: culture in crisis (1982) 28 minutes
Produced by: Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America. Peter Pastorelle Productions, Inc.
Producer: Peter J. Pastorelle, Darryl Hunt, Ronald Saucci
Director: Peter J. Pastorelle
Screenwriter: Peter J. Pastorelle
Cameraman: Peter Pearce
Editor: Peter J. Pastorelle
Publisher: Maryknoll World Productions
Synopsis: Modernization threatens traditional values in places like Samoa. The desire for material progress tempts some to abandon traditions. But through the kava ceremony and the presentation of fine mats, local leaders encourage a return to the best aspects of Samoan culture.
Samoa I Can Get Another Wife But I Can't Get Any Parents (1983) 30 minutes
Produced by: Film Australia
Distrbutor: Films Inc, Films Australia
Photography: Tony Wilson
Recording: Rod Simmons
Script: Graham Chase
Translation: Margaret Felotsoi
Cast: Ron Haddrick
Series: Human face of the Pacific
Synopsis: Many Western Samoans, due to the economic depression of the country, emigrate to Auckland, New Zealand, which has the largest Polynesian population in the world. Only the fit from ages 18-45 are allowed entry by New Zealand. Shows a young Samoan couple and their daughter who decide to emigrate over the objections of their families, the sadness of the parting, and the eventual reconciliation of the youmg people with their parents upon their leaving.
Samoa I Sisifo (1973) 27 minutes
Distributor: Journal Films; Indiana University (rental)
Series: Village Life
Synopsis: Examines the Western Samoan village of Sisifo in light of the people's conflicting desires to maintain their heritage while adjusting to modernization. Stresses Samoan independence in 1962 as a pivotal point in the society's changing perception of itself. Explores recent economic, agricultural, and tourism impacts on the island.
Samoa I Sisifo (1977) 27 minutes
Produced by: Juniper Films, International Film Foundation
Synopsis: Reveals how traditional values and progressive development have become interwoven in Western Samoa. Shows the utilization of better methods to raise poultry, gather food, and catch fish.
Samoa tutoatasi (1984) 28 minutes
Produced by: Pachyderm Productions
Director: Doug Seelig
Producer: Summer Banner
Writers: John Mayer and Fepuleai Tavita Tanielu
Synopsis: Impressions of Western Samoa are given through views and descriptions of the independence day celebrations. Covers historical and cultural information. In Samoan
Samoan culture (1994) 25 minutes
Producer: Lou Ann Guanson, Bruce Barnes
Cast: Ati So'o, Peter Sunia Tau`ese, Bill Emslee
Produced by: Olelo: The Corporation for Community Television & Leeward Community College
Series: Pacific peace makers in Hawaii : peace in action
Synopsis: Discussion of cultural conflict, and conflict resolution and peace in Hawai`i within a Samoan cultural context.
Samoan Family (1988) 15 minutes
Produced by: New Zealand National Film Unit
Synopsis: Part of Pictorial Parade special series. Shows Western Samoa in the 1960s, and describes how modern technology and communication affected its traditional way of life. On May 1, 1961, Western Samoa voted for independence from New Zealand. Life in the new nation, however, continues to be based on its traditional foundation, the family. Shows the activities and routines of a Samoan medical family and the marriage ceremonies of the daughter. Includes coverage of the social and economic conditions in Samoa. Originally released 1961.
The Samoan Family in the Context of Change (1986) 28 minutes
Producer: Hawaii Committee for the Humanities
Directors Stephanie Shaefer, Leuga Turner, Sarina Laulasa
Editor: David Crockett
Cast: Sarina Laulasa
Samoan Favorites Karaoke Video Sing Along (1993) 54 minutes
Produced by: Moon Surfer Productions, Lewis and Lewis Productions
Executive producer: Gordon Broad
Synopsis: A collection of popular Samoan songs sung in English or Samoan. We are Samoa -Down the Vaisigano -Le teine ea -Ole olaga o Samoa -Le mafuaga (tattoo song) -Le manutagi e -Samoan medley -Eleni -Lua lupe va lele -Fia fia lou loto -Minoi -Oi funae sau ia -Oute le tala ole -Goodbye my Feleni.
The Samoan Heart (1996) 28 minutes
Producer: Ruth Tuiteleleapaga
Director: Ruth Tuiteleleapaga
Produced and Distributed by: Pacific Islanders in Communications, Hawaii
Photographer: Paul Mailman
Editor: "Wild" Bill Yahraus
Consultants: Pat Ferrero, Kris Samuelson
Series: Pacific diaries
Synopsis: Two Samoan artists, Reggie Meredith and So'oialo Sven Ortquist, discuss their artwork and the effect Samoan culture has had on it.
Samoan Justice (1989) 30 minutes
Produced by: KHET Television station, Honolulu, Hawaii
Producer/writer: Kelli K. Abe
Producer: Chris Conybeare
Director/photographer: Randy S. Ennis
Synopsis: Examines the clash between Samoan culture and the Western system of justice. Discusses the difficulties that Samoans, particularly Samoan youths have in adjusting to the legal and social systems in Hawaii. Describes a number of programs aimed at teaching Hawaiian-born Samoans aspects of their culture. Chiefly in English; some Samoan. Telecast Jan. 11, 1990 on KHET, Honolulu.
Samoan Stars on Video: Best of Samoan Favourites (1997)
Produced by: Accent Tatiana Productions
Samoans Coming Of Age In America (1984) 30 minutes
Produced and distributed by: Pacific Educational Network
Synopsis: For the first time, Samoans in the mainland U.S. have launched a political campaign the mobilizes many diverse elements of the Samoan community. This recent effort marks a breakthrough for Samoans in the area of grass-roots campaigning, which is an important part of the political process.
Some More Samoa (25 July 1920)
Produced by: Company Chester-Outingm, USA
Written by: Katherine Hilliker
Synopsis: Documentary, A travelogue exploring the land and people of Samoa.
Sons for the Return Home (1979) 115 minutes
Distributor: NZFC
Synopsis: Based on the novel of the same name by Albert Wendt, taken from his own experiences. A love story of a Samoan youth, who has come to New Zealand with his family for economic reasons and for his education, and falls in love with a Caucasian girl. Reveals the challenges of racism and cross-cultural learning in such relationships
Staatssekretar Solf in der Deutschen Kolonie Togo Oktober 1913 (1913) 7 minutes
Located: Library, -University of Hawaii, Manoa Audio Visual Center
Synopsis: Rare footage of Wilhelm Solf, Governor of Western Samoa from 1900-1911, and his wife as he reviews troops in Togo, Africa. In black and white
Storytellers of the Pacific (1996) 120 minutes
Produced by: Pacific Islanders in Communications, Native American Public Telecommunications
Producers: Phil Lucas
Publisher: Neb Lincoln: Vision Maker Video
Camera: Gary Robinson, Gilbert Salas, T.J. Williams
Graphics: Marthaellen Florence, Verle D. Finke
Music: Mark Hoover
Narrator: Joy Harjo
Editor: Phil Lucas
Synopsis: Program 1. Identity. Program 2. Self-determination. Indigenous peoples of the Pacific and its Rim tell their personal stories of culture, spirituality, histories, experiences, and survival from colonization. Includes stories told by Australian Aborigines, Native Hawaiians, New Zealand Maori, Chamorro of Guam, Seri of Mexico Samoans, Alaska Aleuts, Northwest Coast Indians, California Indians, and Inuit of Canada. Some segments in Chamorro, Maori, and Seri with English subtitles.
Story telling (1990) 30 minutes
Producer/Director: Philip A. Wilson
Writer/Editor: Philip A. Wilson
Produced by: KHET, Honolulu, Hawaii
Synopsis: Jeff Gere, director of Talking Island Festival introduces storytellers Lydia Hale, Hawaiian, Pat Mamaia, Samoan, Latu Popi Mafileo, Tongan, and Makia Malo, Hawaiian. Also includes Hawaiian storytelling musicians, Jerry Santos and Haunani Apoliona. Originally broadcast 19 December 1990 on Spectrum Hawaii
Tamaiti, O (1996)
Director: Sima Urale
Produced by: Companies Carol J. Paewai Productions, New Zealand: New Zealand Film Commission
Distributor: New Zealand Film Commission
Synopsis: For 11-year-old Tino, being the eldest of five children in a Samoan family is no easy task. Tino plays guardian and protector to his younger siblings. As Tino strives to cope in an adult world, the birth of yet another baby brings about more burdens and responsibilities. The children endure in silence, their world a weave of vision and sound.
Tales of the Pacific basin (1988) 30 minutes
Director: Glenn Holcomb
Producer: Doug Hamasaki
Executive Producer: Gaye Glaser
Synopsis: Caroline Sinavaiana tells us a Samoan story and Mark Jeffers an Inuit story. Includes discussion on the value and relevance of traditional stories to 20th century life.
Talofa Tamaiti Hello children (1976) 60 minutes
Produced by: Early Childhood Education Program, DOE, Govt. of American Samoa
Producer/Director: Rodney Williams
Synopsis: Describes the early childhood educational program in American Samoa which benefits over 2,500 children in 160 villages. Teacher selection, curriculum development, teacher-made materials, and training of paraprofessional teachers are also covered.
Tapa Making (1958) 15 minutes
Producer: Barr
Distributor: Barr
Synopsis: Demonstrates the process of making and decorating bark cloth in Samoa as it has been done since ancient times. Shows a modern adaptation of this art.
Taro Culture in the Islands of the South Pacific () 60 minutes
Producer: Pacific Agricultural Development Office
Distributor: Pacific Agricultural Development Office
Synopsis: Based on a survey of taro cultivation on the islands by researchers and agricultural extension agents from land-grant colleges in Micronesia, American Samoa, and Hawai'i. Contrasts traditional agricultural practices of the Pacific Islanders to methods involving high input of petrochemicals and other nonrenewable resources on commercial farms.
Tatau What One Must Do (1996) 26 minutes
Director: Micah Van der Ryn
Producer: Micah Van der Ryn
Assistant Director: Fuiavailili Alailima
Editors: Mary Beth Bresolin, Marjorie Hagar, Micah van der Ryn
Produced by: Pacific Islanders in Communications
Synopsis: The Samoan tattoo, or Tatau, is renowned throughout the Pacific for its unique markings and placement, and remains a unique symbol of Samoa. Tatau: What One Must Do is a look at this ancient tradition, carried forth into the modern world, and how that affects the deep, spiritual history of the tatau and those who choose to wear it.
Teine Samoa, A Girl of Samoa (1982) 26 minutes
Produced by: Gibson Film Productions
Distributor: Journal Films, Inc.
Synopsis: Looks at village life through the eyes of Situe, a nineteen-year-old girl in Western Samoa. Shows the traditional family structure, daily duties, and moments of relaxation. Explores the possibilities open to an educated young woman there.
Today in Samoa (1920)
Director: Burton Holmes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures, USA
Treasured Islands Robert Louis Stevenson in the Pacific (1992) 57 minutes
Produced by: Lowell Don Holmes, Richard Charles Welsbacher, University of California
Cast: Richard Welsbacher
Distributor: UCEMC
Synopsis: Describes Robert Louis Stevenson's journey to the South Seas with emphasis placed on his last five years of life spent at Vailima, Western Samoa. Begins with the details of a voyage to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, the Society Islands, and Hawai'i, then describes the author's trip to the Samoan Islands where he settled down, built a home called Vailima, and became involved in the Polynesian lifestyle and local political events. Ends with Stevenson's death and burial on Mt. Vaea.
Triangle of life (1991) 53 minutes
Produced by: Scandinature Films/Gaia Films, Sweden
Writers/Directors: Jeni Kendall, Bo Landin
Synopsis: Traces the establishment of the Falealupo Rain Forest Preserve, Savai`i Island, Western Samoa. Features the work of American scientist Paul Cox in studying the flying fox and preserving its habitat. Recounts the legend of undersea goddess Nafanua and shows how traditional concepts of resource conservation can be applied in modern society.
A Trip Through Samoa and the Fiji Islands (1905)
Produced by: Company Selig Polyscope Company, USA
Tusalava (1929) 9 minutes
Director: Len Lye
Distributor: MCA: MIANZ, New Zealand/Aotearoa
Synopsis: A pioneer experimental animated film drawing on Maori, Aboriginal, and Samoan traditions. In black and white
Tusitala-Teller of Tales () 312 minutes
Distributor: ABC
Synopsis: Six-part, serialized biography tracing the last four years of Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island, spent in the South Pacific, Sydney, and Western Samoa. Filmed on location.
Two Samoas a cultural comparison (1997) 15 minutes
Director: Samuel J. Burris
Synopsis: A cultural comparison of American and Western Samoa. Shows the way of life of the people.
Vaitafe running waters (1981) 30 minutes
Producer: Foe Alo, Takashi Fujii
Produced by: Visual Communications, American Samoa Community College
Distributor: Visual Communications
Synopsis: Vaitafe, a Samoan student pursuing his education in Los Angeles, encounters obstacles. Through Samoan traditions of fa`alavelaves (family concerns) we see the bonding of family, church and community in the fa`a Samoa spirit of mutual support and unity which come to Vaitafe's aid. Dialogue in English or Samoan (with English subtitles)
Waste Not, Want Not (1994) 13 minutes
Produced by: University of the South Pacific, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, United Nations Development Programme
Script by: Wesley Ward (SPREP) with assistance from Tony Hill (Aegis Oil) and Fiu Elisara Mata`ese (UNDP)
Producer/Director: Rudy Bartley
Cast: Tony Hill, Aegis Oil
Funded by: The United Nations Development Programme.
Synopsis: Description of how a commercial oil recycling operation in Samoa is protecting the environment.
We Call Samoa Home: An Introduction to Samoa (1989) 23 minutes
Producer: Christian World Service, Canterbury Education Centre, Canterbury, NZ
Reporter: Mona Papali`i
Synopsis: Overview of history and traditions of Samoa, with emphasis on the church, history since independence, economic problems, and the conditions and lives of overseas Samoans living in New Zealand. Issued to serve as part of a curriculum package with the title, Samoa: Resource Pack for Secondary Schools.
Welcome to Polynesia () 60 minutes
Produced by: Polynesian Cultural Center
Distributor: Myriah's Polynesian Bazaar
Synopsis: The new expanded video of a tour of the Polynesian Cultural Center. Authentically costumed Islanders from Hawai'i, Tahiti, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, and the Marquesas perform various songs and dances in the Pageant of the Long Canoes, and later in excerpts of the spectacular evening show Mana. The daily lives of the people are seen as they demonstrate and explain crafts and games in their villages.
Western Samoa (1989) 26 minutes
Produced by: Journal Films: Evanston, IL, USA
Distributor: Journal Films; TCSP
Synopsis: A review of the "Samoan way", the values and customs and social system of Western Samoa, and changing trade patterns.
Western Samoa: A World of Difference (1995) 29 minutes
Produced by: Mark Oell'Aquila, Long Beach, CA, Phone 310-438-2233
Published by: The Western Samoa Visitors Bureau
Western Samoa Celebrates (1983) 37 minutes
Produced by: Australian Development Assistance Bureau, Film Australia
Producer: Don Murray
Director: Graham Chase
Synopsis: In 1962 after a long, hard struggle Western Samoa gained independence from British rule. A history of the island nation is integrated with coverage of the festival celebrating 20 years of independence.
Western Samoa Diary (1973) 24 minutes
Distributor: Juniper Films
Synopsis: A composite program of prominent events and international figures who have passed through Western Samoa in recent years: HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, Lord Mountbatten, His Holiness Pope Pius VI.
Western Samoa Paradise Islands (1987) 30 minutes
Prodiced by: Hibiscus Video
Synopsis: Introduction to the beautiful world of Western Samoa, the cradle of Polynesia. Includes aerial views and scenes of coral reefs and lava fields. Also shows Samoan traditions and the gentle, caring culture of the Samoan people as well as the natural beauty of Samoa such as the beautiful flowers, tropical vegetation and beaches.
When I Grow Up () 30 minutes
Directed by: Heather Croall
Produced by: ReAngle Pictures
Synopsis: When I Grow Up was made as part of the UNICEF series of documentaries on youth issues in The South Pacific. It looks at the problem of youth suicide in Samoa and gets used around villages on the island.
Der Zweite Blick - SAMOA - all you can eat (1997) 51 minutes
Director: Axel Engstfeld
Production/Distribution: Engstfeld Filmproduktion, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 26, D-50668 Cologne, Germany, Tel. (+49) 221 120510, Fax (+49) 221 135496, engstfeldfilm@compuserve.com
The 1992 Pacific cultural programme (1992) 96 minutes
University of the South Pacific, USP Media Centre, The Samoan Students Association, Suva, Fiji
Editor, Vilisi Nadaku; camera, Isreli Yuli, Marsha Schoeffler, Sadiq Mohamed
Synopsis: A program of traditional singing, dancing and drumming presented by the Samoan Students Association of the University of the South Pacific as part of the annual Pacific Cultural Programme
Status: Work in Progress
Last Updated: September 26th 2000