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Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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The Orator (Film)

by Julian Wood | November 14, 2011 13:09 | Edited November 14, 2011 13:11

At times this may seem more like an observational doco than a dramatic feature, but the stylish camerawork and the gutsy central character make for compelling viewing.

A glance at any international film festival will reveal movies from dozens of countries. That said, we don't get many films set in Samoa, so this is a nice oddity. The Orator comes courtesy of young New Zealand director, Tusi Tamasese, who delivers his first film here. And what a fantastic cinematic eye he is instantly revealed to possess. From the early sequences of big heavy tropical rain drops plopping onto broad waxy leaves, we know that this is a director who really knows their way around a camera. It is important that the film looks beautiful, because the plot is decidedly slight, and most of the cast are amateurs, so one cannot expect that much from the acting.

 

The eponymous orator, however, is an interesting character. Saili (played with nobility and charm by Fiaula Sanote) is a small person (or a dwarf, as his fellow villagers call him). He is married to a beautiful wife, Vaaiga (Tausili Pushparaj), and he seems happy clearing the jungle and planting a bit of taro. Vaaiga is frustrated that Saili - who comes from a high family in village terms - does not push himself and use his skills to become the chief that he should be. Vaaiga has been banished from the village for years, and is keen to get back in the fold so that her teenage daughter can get an opportunity to marry. When Vaaiga gets sick, Saili nurses her. Finally, he walks into the village meeting square and, in the denouement, displays his famous powers of oratory.

 

Part of this could seem like a National Geographic documentary (the emphasis on ceremonies and feasting, the use of pigs and woven mats as a currency, the mutual obligations of rule-governed gift giving). The stylish camerawork and the charm of the gutsy little orator, however, draw us into a human story which has universal resonances.