User Reviews

The film is this year's version of 'Embrace of the Serpent' at the Oscars. Yes, it is one of the five films to clash for the tag of the Best Foreign Language Film on the behalf of the Australia. Though the entire film was shot on Vanuatu's Tanna island and Nauvahal was the language spoken in it with the natives performing the film roles.

This was really a stunning film. I had a misconception during my childhood that all tribal people, mostly from the deep jungles are so cruel just like the North Sentinel Island people. I never visited such place or met such people, but some documentaries and feature films taught me many things. This is one of those films to highlight them and their culture.

The people from the Tanna island rejected to adopt the outside culture just to save theirs, which is used to be thousands of years old. Everything was taught to their kids, from hunting and gathering to the growing fruits, vegetables and livestocks. But they too have rivals with their neighbour tribe that sometimes end with casualties on the both sides. This film was a romance-drama, when the young couple's love was rejected by their elders, how they fought for it, which forced to bring a reform in their custom was told.

This is like the Vanuatu's version of Romeo-Juliet tale. While watching it, my heart was pounding faster. Because since I don't know these people and their traditions, I thought something terrible going to happen sooner or later. The film did not have any strong violence, but the storyline led to such situation often. Even in the final stage, they silently ended the narration with a message. But remember this film was based on the true story that took place in the 80s.

"Our tribes are the last keepers of Kastom. We have to hold it tight to survive."

Their performances were natural, since the events of the film were based on their daily life. So they knew what they were doing. It was an advantage for the filmmakers, like they were making a documentary, despite they wrote the screenplay for it. Everyone played their own real life character to depict the actual event. Particularly the lead ones, Dain, Wawa, Selin and a few others were impressive. Awesome cinematography, as well as background score. The locations were amazing, including that live volcanic mountain. Despite their presence in the region for centuries, it looks untouched and wild.

This film is what something you won't see in your daily life. It was not a romance like in our society, but men and women falling in love in any culture/society are the same. The film was not entirely a love tale, but step by step it gets there. In the initial parts, it was an introduction to their customs with a little fun. Followed by revealing they are not alone. Then comes the turn in the story where the remaining parts have a new fast paced thrill look.

My point is we have seen hundreds of romance films, but this is one of those rare ones where 90 per cent of the world never going to meet these real people in their lives. So thanks to the filmmakers for giving this beautiful precious film. The first feature film for the documentary filmmakers and it made into the American Academy Awards. A great achievement, especially recognising such film by the Australian film society, as well as the Academy juries for nominating it.

I'll be looking forward and cheering for them on their red carpet appearance. Though this film has a less chance over Denmark's 'Under Sandet' which is the front-runner. Don't mind that, just watch this film, because it is worth on its own merit than watching it after winning an award. Recommended!

8/10

In some respects this film reminded me of Murnau's "Tabu". It hails from Australia, (and is the Australian entry for this year's Best Foreign Film Oscar), but is actually set on the remote Pacific island of Tanna among the Yakel tribe and tells of the forbidden love between Wawa and Dain, the son of the chief. Gorgeously shot in the rain forests of Tanna, which is part of Vanuatu, and on an active volcano, it has the feel of a documentary, (the cast are non-professionals), but is constructed like a thriller with a touch of 'Romeo and Juliet' thrown in. It was co-directed by Martin Butler, (it marks his feature debut), and its cinematographer Bentley Dean and there is a harshness at play that belies the beauty of the locations though there is also a degree of humour too. The problem with the picture is that the material is old-hat, however exotic the setting. As a certain song says, this is a tale as old as time but it's redeemed, in this instance, by the treatment.

Tanna is a beautiful and tragic love story of two star crossed lovers who create a conflict between the heritage and the changing circumstance in a conventional community. This film is completely shot in gorgeous locations of Vanuatu an island in the South Pacific Ocean, all the actors in the film belong to the native tribe who are completely away from the modern world. This makes the film very authentic. This kind of films are very rare. The story told here is true, re-enacted decades after the fact. The plot is fairly familiar. It is best not to watch this film for the plot, instead for the visual imagery and to witness a culture that we have not encountered before. This film portrays modernization as a kind of loss of innocence. The cinematography and the score are hauntingly beautiful. This is a remarkable cinematic undertaking in what it has achieved. This film is a need for humanity.

Tanna is a small island in the South Pacific, part of the nation of Vanuatu. The traditional way of life is still prevalent there, so Western sensibilities have to be put to one side for this film featuring tribal dances, pig slaughtering and penis sheaths.

Dain is a chieftain's grandson and Wawa granddaughter of a shaman. The pair are in love, but when a long-standing rivalry with a neighbouring tribe once more erupts into violence, Wawa's hand in marriage is promised to a warrior of that tribe as part of peace negotiations. Forbidden by their elders from being together, Wawa and Dain resolve to defy their families.

So far, so Romeo and Juliet. Except that this is based on actual events that happened barely thirty years ago, making the film an account of a relatively recent way of life on the isolated island - unsurprisingly, as directors/producers/scriptwriters Martin Butler and Bentley Dean usually work on documentaries. As you would expect from a cast of non-professionals, the acting is of variable quality, but the cinematography - from the lush forest to the barren landscape of the island's volcano, lit only by occasional eruptions of lava - is stunning. And how often do you see a film from the South Pacific?

Tanna is the representative of Australia in the Oscar for best foreigner film, it is an interesting film, even though it is obviously not the first film to portray Indian life, nor is it the last, the film is a little different, it is a novel , I liked the acting, it sure is the strong point of the film, the photograph is very beautiful, the soundtrack combines with the film, the script is only medium, and the movie has moments of tedium, the direction of the movie is good, and Can very well capture the emotions of the characters, but I would not indicate Tanna for the best foreign film, since it's just an interesting movie, it's not a good movie, but it has enough quality, such as photography and performances, more It's a totally forgettable movie. Note 6.5

'Tanna' is what cinema is all about. Storytelling using the visual medium to illuminate and transport the viewer into another world. Collaborators Bentley Dean and Martin Butler have long histories in journalism and magazine current affairs and have achieved success with their documentaries, but this is their first feature film. They have intrepidly ventured into the picturesque locale of the Vanuatu island of Tanna and its indigenous folk for this tale of star crossed lovers.

Whilst using an age old narrative theme, the conflict at the centre of 'Tanna' is whether to go with your heart or your head (here represented by tradition and tribal custom), the filmmakers have beautifully photographed and captured the daily life and tribulations of this somewhat cloistered population. Plucked from the very villages they were born and raised in, the performances are really fine; having been well cast to handle the daunting task of acting in a movie. Of particular note for me was the wonderful Marcelline Rofit as the younger sibling of the betrothed lead, played by Marie Wawa. Her eyes taking in everything around her and affected by the changes are really fascinating to observe through her perspective. Mungau Dain plays the forbidden object of desire for Wawa, and according to the filmmakers he was chosen for the leading role as he was the most handsome in his tribe. He has a perfect mix of sensitivity and strapping masculinity. The two leads work very well together. 'Tanna' makes filmmaking look easy, but the degree of difficulty cannot be underestimated here. With a remote location, a cast that had never seen a movie, let alone acted in one; the cultural respect and fascination of Dean & Butler is evident in their sensitive and at times majestic portrayal of the peoples of Tanna. Bentley Dean's evocative cinematography and Antony Partos' effective score add to the atmospheric feel of the look and sound of the film. There is some tart dialogue that injects some needed humour and humanity into what might have been a conventional story. For me, seeing filmmakers explore unchartered terrain; both cinematically and culturally engenders more enthusiasm for contemporary film. There are plenty of formulaic directors and writers perpetuating the same notions of mores and perspectives, so it is refreshing to spend a couple of hours with other peoples and other customs. And it is a most affecting and enriching experience.

I was lucky enough to see this amazing movie in Vanuatu in March. I am frustrated that this movie is not widely available in the US and you can not buy the DVD here. This movie is beautiful. You are transported to another culture dealing with the universal issues of love, family and community norms.

What is even more amazing is the actors are not trained actors but villagers. They do an excellent job.

The movie is visually stunning. Shot in Vanuatu on location with an active volcano in the background adds to the emotion.

Hope others in the US get the opportunity to see this.

The movie was better than I expected. It is a good movie for you to see the relations of the island natives with each other and cultural things. It could have been better.

I have seen a few reviews both here and on other sites that make me laugh in relation to the reviewer's knowledge of the movie "plot" and of Tanna Island itself.

NO, NO, NO! Tanna is NOT in a remote part of Australia nor is it a part of the Solomon Island group.

Tanna is one of the 97 Islands in the Republic of Vanuatu, (Formerly known as the New Hebrides until independence in 1980.)

There is no such word as "Vanuatuan" it is just Vanuatu. The people are known as Ni-Vanuatu (basically meaning 'born Vanuatu'), not "Indians".

For those who thought that the 'plot' was a bit thin, what were the film makers supposed to do? The 'plot' is based on REAL events that happened just as 'recently' as 1987. Would it have been right for the film makers to fabricate a different story or outcome?

One of the real take aways from the movie and the events themselves was just how quickly the Ni-Vanuatu people reacted to the sad outcome that was initially brought on by the prior custom of arranged marriages.

The people in the movie may be viewed by some as 'uneducated savages', but hey, they stopped arranged marriages in 1987, the Royal Family of Britain were still wanting to arrange marriages until Prince William and Prince Harry turned the tide.

The other thing that gains some criticism, is that the film gets a bit slow from time to time. Yes, I agree that it does.

But I think what the movie makers were trying to create, was not just a typical movie with just a storyline, they were trying to draw us into knowing the people of Vanuatu better, they were giving us incredible images of the great beauty of the country and it's islands, and they were showing us that Vanuatu is "another time, another pace".

Things do tend to happen a bit slowly in Vanuatu, and the Pacific Islands as a whole. The term 'Pacific Time' is well known to seasoned travellers.

In Vanuatu, you learn to slow down, look around and see and appreciate the little things in life. Take time to smell the Hibiscus and the fresh clean environment.

Sure there is violence, but also look at the simple pleasures and happiness gained by the people. People living happily and contentedly without the need for material things that we think are so important to our lives.

People living together, supporting one another and coming together and resolving issues in times of turmoil and grief.

Look beyond the storyline and our own ideas of life and see that these 'primitive' people have so much to teach us 'civilised' ones, if we just take the time to stop and really look.

The fact that the little known Australian backed film Tanna was nominated this year at the Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language category is quite the feat.

A film that barely saw recognition when it was released in Australian cinemas early last year, Tanna all of a sudden found itself competing on the world's biggest cinematic stage and it's lovely to see such a low key Australian effort make it to the Dolby Theatre, even if Martin Butler and Bentley Dean's film isn't the sum of its parts.

Before delving into Tanna the film, it's worth noting that the very fact that this movie exists and the background behind it makes it a film worth talking about, if not a film you'll be recommending to many people come the closing credits.

An Australian/Vanuatu co-production that's filmed entirely in one of the local islands native dialects and stars villagers of the country who are not only non-professional's, but also actors who'd never seen a camera let alone a motion picture, directors Martin Butler and Bentley Dean went too great lengths to bring this true story to life.

Like a real life stripped backed Romeo and Juliet, Tanna tells the story of lovebirds Dain and Wawa as they fight to be together against the rules of their tribe and people and are outcast, left to traverse the naturally beautiful landscape of their surrounds.

It's within this that Butler and Dean deliver some truly stunning cinematography and bring about naturalistic performances from their learning on the job cast, these elements combine and work together wonderfully with acclaimed composer Antony Partos's score and Gladiator songstress Lisa Gerrard's vocals and it gives Tanna a much needed boost when its less successful combinations come to the forefront.

For such a unique motion picture it's a real shame Tanna's central story feels so generic and unengaging, we never feel a connection to Dain and Wawa, partly due to skin deep performances but largely due to the delivery of stilted dialogue and a fact that the actual story itself isn't that original.

You can't help but escape the feeling that such a one-off piece of work would've benefited from taking more risks with its narrative and while it can't be an easy task for foreign filmmakers to work in the conditions that Tanna set itself up for, there's never an excuse for a film of this ilk to delve into boredom inducing lulls or such forceful script work, no matter the language.

Final Say –

Full credit to the Australian film industry for getting behind such a grand vision and what a fantastic cue for such a low-key Australian event to find itself a whole new audience on the biggest stage in Hollywood but while Tanna is a pretty and well intentioned tale of forbidden romance in a totally majestical setting, there's nothing that special about the story it tells or how it tells it, making Tanna a disappointing but a never less than curious affair.

2 1/2 angry volcano's out of 5

Going into this I wasn't really sure what to expect. Maybe for that reason the sheer dazzling beauty of its beauty really surprised me and really had me falling in love with what I was seeing. I don't think the screenplay is on the level of the directing, acting, and cinematography here (although it's still rather good) and that's only because the film works on a level of poetry and trance-like mystery and awe. Its beauty sort of transcends the screen and really leaves you with so many different emotions. It's great that a film like this got nominated for the Oscar and while I don't think it's the best of the nominees, it surely comes highly recommended.

That does not mean: A Disney cartoon for toddler and parents. Rather for a mature audience who knows about other civilizations. Not in space, but at remote places and during Paleolithic.

This film contains a rare combination of different themes: - the Romeo and Juliette drama - an ethnographic study, although it remains or must remain superficial, such that one seems to understand the cultural issues, which can hardly be possible in reality. - a nature film, with the primeval forest and a volcanic landscape as background - an escape/pursuit film (alike FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE, but without helicopter)

Also important the depiction of living in tribes which was also our common style during most of the time of the existence of humans.

For the fugitives, a window of opportunity is opened once they meet Christians. So we get instructed which role a common belief like a universal religion has in the formation of big societies.

Interesting directing, watchable cinematography and natural habitat...

How could they capture all the movie?

All characters are non-actor or actress but they are very grateful. Climate, local people, real characters, amazing volcano scenes, shortly cast overcame all of the different problems, victoriously.

In my opinion, movie' all the say is "alleged" uncivilized society must had be wild. On the contrary, movie's every second said that they are more civilized against us. I love meeting scenes.

This is a love story set on Tanna, one of the islands of Vanuatu in the Pacific off the coast of Qld. It is a contemporary story, not that it matters, little has changed in thousands of years for the traditional tribes living barely clad in the jungles. Dain, the Yakel chief's son, loves Wawa but she is promised to another by custom. The love marriage that the two want will surely lead to war between the tribes. What will the tribal chiefs do? Made by Australian film makers Martin Butler & Bentley Dean while living and working with the Yakel tribe, the result is a lushly beautiful, suspenseful and uniquely rewarding story. The island setting is cinematic with its active volcano, dense jungle, ash plains and sandy beaches. The untrained, brown-skinned actors bring both realism and natural charm to this mythic, Romeo & Juliet story imbued with traditional cultural elements. The medicine man plays the medicine man, Chief Charlie plays himself and Dain, the acknowledged most handsome was put forward to play the lead role.(Now on DVD)

the poetry of image. the simplicity of story. the new version of Romeo and Juliet tragedy. the tradition, war and need of piece. spectacular for the wise, admirable manner to remind old truths. for the science to explore habits, places, vulnerabilities and the essence of life from a small community looking for save its fundamental values. a fragile, delicate, profound impressive story. about the life. about love. about fights and gods and rules and need to conquer the peace. a poem more than a film. touching in deep sense. because, in fact, it is a film for memory.

I don't think a review can do it justice. Beautifully filmed & edited, moving performances, lovely score. Captivating from start to finish & highly immersive in its setting, full of detail. The surrounding story of its production & the actual events it's inspired by are equally fascinating.

Do you like movies with star-cross'd lovers, tribal rivalries, scampish little sisters, pristine Polynesian islands, active volcanoes & penis sheaths? If so, TANNA is the movie for you! Simultaneously heart-breaking & hopeful, this film was the first to be shot entirely in Vanuatu. At times you will laugh, gasp & most definitely cry, as you follow the timeless tale (based on a true story) of two lovers caught in the middle of parental & tribal responsibilities. The cinematography was breathtaking & displayed the impeccable photographic vision of filmmakers who had previously created documentaries. The performers were not trained actors, but members of the Yakel tribe--however, their performances were as heart-felt & gut-wrenchingly real as that of any Oscar winning actor. The stand-out for me, was the young girl, Marceline Rofit, who played the role of the impish little sister, Selin. The depth of emotion that she evoked is well beyond her years & is a stand-out among all the incredible performances in this film.

This movie is wonderfully shot, giving you a taste of life at Tanna. I wanted to watch this movie to better understand people on this island after I read autobiography of John Paton, a missionary to Tanna. I am a bit disheartened by portrayal of Christians in this movie as some kind of weirdoes. And when the chief said that they though off the colonial powers, money, Christians etc., he did not mention this cannibalistic tribe, robbed, ransacked, killed and ate missionaries who brought medicine, written language, hope and so much more to the people of Tanna. The Christian church was built on their blood and bones that are still there in the ground of Tanna. But that would, of course, take away from the main story of love, which is very beautiful and touching. I thought I would write about something that I felt was unjustly treated in the movie. Great movie. I wholeheartedly recommend.

It is so good. It was a cinematic masterpiece with a much needed cultural weight so significant the images alone can move you. The movie is a poignant combination of prime cinematography and story that authentically represents the history of a people with a sprinkle of impact. This movie that acts as a cinematic cultural luminary has hopefully set the standard for other films with a story about an unvalued society and the traditions that surround it. In other words, it was so beautiful, I cried.

Probably the only Vanuatu-set movie that you'll ever see depicts people from different tribes trying to get around the tribal customs. I like movies about cultures that we rarely get to see. It's especially surprising that these tribes have been able to preserve their traditional ways despite the colonization of their island (as shown by the church whose attendees consider the traditional ways "sin").

The Academy Award-nominated "Tanna" tests your attention span, spoken entirely in the tribes' native languages and moving along at a snail's pace. If you're used to explosions and car chases in movies, then you should avoid this one at all costs. But if you're interested in learning about the world and the question of whether or not an indigenous culture can survive, then this is the movie for you.

To think that he showed a picture of Elizabeth and Philip, and I watched it right after Charles got crowned.