Banabans of Rabi
During the second World War, the inhabitants of the Island of Banaba was forcibly displaced to Rabi Island in Fiji due to Phosphate mining by the British Phosphate Commission. The Island of Banaba was decimated and the Banaban's had to start fresh in Rabi. The documentary follows the people in Rabi and sheds light into the problems that they face now, especially that of climate change.
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Blessen TomDirector
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Hele IkimotuDirector
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Jim MarbrookProducer
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David RobieProducer
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Blessen TomCinematography
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Project Type:Documentary, Short, Student
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Runtime:9 minutes 18 seconds
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Country of Origin:New Zealand
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Country of Filming:Fiji
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Language:English
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:Yes
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Nuku'alofa International Film Festival 2018Nuku'alofa
Tonga
November 23, 2018
Pacific Premiere
Official Selection -
Pasifika Film Festival 2019Salt Lake City
United States
February 2, 2019
North American Premiere
Official Selection -
Maoriland Film FestivalOtaki
New Zealand
March 21, 2019
New Zealand Premiere
Official Selection
Blessen Tom and Hele Ikimotu are communication students from the Auckland University of Technology. They were in Fiji for an International Journalism project called 'Bearing Witness' and travelled to Rabi Island for the documentary.
Blessen Tom, originally from India, completed his Bachelor and Masters in Literature and is now pursuing his studies in Communication.
He is passionate about visual storytelling and documentaries.
Tom directed two short films and a drama, and is currently working on his new documentary on transgender community in India.
Of Niuean and Banaban descent, Hele Ikimotu completed his Bachelor of Communication Studies degree majoring in journalism last year and worked as an intern on the NZ Institute for Pacific Research project.