iTaukei Movie to Premiere Suva

Serial entrepreneur, Adi Tu­lia Nacola, is a classic exam­ple of young iTaukei women stepping up in the business arena.

From building furniture to boat building, the author of three nov­els has pulled off yet another suc­cessful venture, this time in film production.

She wrote, produced and directed her first short film, Bubu Belo, with Fiji-based film label Bure Productions.

Bubu Belo is a 25-minute film - written and acted in the iTaukei language - that follows the two main characters, Bubu and Tama­rra, who live in their little wooden cottage by the sea.

Shot on location in Verevere Vil­lage, Ra, the province from which Nacola hails, Bubu teaches Tama­rra to survive off the land by fish­ing and growing his own food.

Bubu does her best to instil in him independence and respect for the land.

The situation changes when an uninvited guest from their mutual past appears, to present the elderly woman with a difficult decision.

Reliance on the land versus the increasing demand of urban drift has plagued indigenous people - for various reasons - for decades.

"Opportunities might be in the big cities of the world, but there is also a place for opportunities in the village and remaining con -nected to one's own land, to know where one comes from," Adi Tulia said.

A strong advocate for storytelling and sharing of traditional knowl­edge within families, the short film was created as a means to build a bridge between elders and youths, including youth who know their language and the ones who are yet to find it.

Bubu Belo captures the impor­tant relationship between elders and children and shares the impor­tance of storytelling as a teaching tool to reach younger generations to impart the benefits of respect­ing each other and the land.

Film Fiji will host the premiere of Nacola's inaugural iTaukei language film in Suva office next week.

The film will later be screened in multiple villages and communities in Ra.

Sponsored by Film Fiji, these screenings are the first step to share Bubu and Tamarra's story and show communities the im­portance of knowing where one comes from, so that they can move into the future with a sense of identity and belonging.

Event details

■ What: Premiere of Bubu Belo by Adi Tulia Nacol a

■ Where: Film Fiji (Ground Floor, Civic House, Suva)

■ When: Thursday January 16, 2025

Feedback: frederica.elbourne@fijisun.com.fj