Fiji Cinema
Fiji unlike Tahiti, doesn't have much cinematic history. It should, given its natural beauty and rich culture. However, unlike French Polynesia, Paul Gauguin never got there. The artist's impact on the literary, and later cinematic history of this region, was profound. For better or worse Fiji never had as powerful an influence as Gauguin. However, the movie industry is catching on, albeit in a modest way. Of
late a couple of feature length films of note have been made.
The most famous recent flick was Castaway, which featured Tom Hanks in a role as a Federal Express employee who becomes stranded on an uninhabited tropical isle and there was the 1980 The Blue Lagoon starring Brooke Shields. Both were filmed in Fiji but you'd never really know it. However, these wasn't the first to be made. In 1954, Burt Lancaster shot a movie called His Majesty O Keefe about a privateer who realized there was more to life than his own personal fortune. The plot is pretty campy but it's a kick to see if you get the chance--especially if you're a Burt Lancaster fan. The storyline placed the film on Yap in Micronesia, but you can hear banter in Fijian if you listen closely.
As sparkling as these films were, none featured Fiji as anything more than cinematic backdrop. Castaway could have been filmed on any tropical island. Ditto with His Majesty O'Keefe where one reviewer stated accurately, "The scenery is great".
Reel Paradise, a documentary movie about an American family spending a year in Fiji, was another matter. Although it was more of a story about the travails of the Pierson Family, the film maker goes to some length to understand the complexities of the Fijian culture.
In a completely different vein, The Land Has Eyes, filmed in 2000, was the first dramatic feature ever dealing with a true Fijian theme. It was shot on the island of Rotuma and sported nearly an all-Polynesian cast. I recommend seeing both films if you have the opportunity to do so. Read more about these films in Fijiguide.com.
Reel Paradise | The Land Has Eyes