Tanna — Trailer

added: Tue, Jul 19th '16

It's the first-ever film shot entirely in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. "Tanna" is also the first-ever narrative feature from Australian documentarians Bentley Dean and Martin Butler, who ambitiously tackle an epic love story that's based on a real event, which led to a modification in traditional marital laws for the indigenous people of Vanuatu.

Featuring a cast of non-professional actors and performed by the people of Yakel, "Tanna" tells the story of two neighboring South Pacific tribes who clash over a disputed arranged marriage involving a would-be bride and her two suitors from opposing tribes.

Directors Dean and Butler spent seven months living in the remote South Pacific village of Yakel, as they wrote and filmed the movie with the full participation and cooperation of the local villagers.

"Tanna" premiered to rave reviews at the 2015 Venice Film Festival, where it scored a Critic Award and the Best Cinematography honor for co-director Bentley Dean.

The film is set to open in U.S. theaters in September, opening first in New York on September 16 and Los Angeles on September 23; with other cities to follow.

synopsis:
TANNA is set in the South Pacific where Wawa, a young girl from one of the last traditional tribes, falls in love with her chief's grandson, Dain. When an intertribal war escalates, Wawa is unknowingly betrothed as part of a peace deal. The young lovers run away, but are pursued by enemy warriors intent on killing them. They must choose between their hearts and the future of the tribe, while the villagers must wrestle with preserving their traditional culture and adapting it to the increasing outside demands for individual freedom. TANNA is based on a true story and performed by the people of Yakel in Vanuatu.

directed by Bentley Dean, Martin Butler

release date September 16, 2016 (NY), September 23, 2016 (LA); with other cities to follow