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Soli Bula

In an alternate reality Fiji where tradition and culture was never eroded by colonialism, a new Drua (ship) is about to be put to sea and will demand a steep toll for the final stage of its launch.

  • Meli Tuqota Jr
    Director
    You, the choice of my parents
  • Tui Ledua
    Art Director/Illustrator
  • Clarence Dass
    Background & Additional Art
  • Michael Jon Light
    3D Modeling & Animation
  • Verdine Lee
    Colourist
  • Inoke Kalounisiga
    Composer, Priest Voice
  • Dave Laisiasa
    Foley, Audio Mixing
  • Simione Sevudredre
    Cultural Consultant, Priest Speech Writer & Translation
  • Dulcie Stewart
    Associate Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation
  • Runtime:
    7 minutes 19 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 15, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    7,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Fiji
  • Country of Filming:
    Fiji
  • Language:
    Fijian
  • Shooting Format:
    N/A
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Meli Tuqota Jr

Tumeli Tuqota hails from Gasauva, Cakaudrove, Fiji with maternal links to Ha’apai, Tonga. He has over 15+ years experience with graphic design, motion design, 2D & 3D animation, film making and drawing stick figures with both hands.

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Director Statement

In 2019 I created the animated short film, ‘You, the Choice of My Parents’ which has screened in a few film festivals around the world, including the largest indigenous Film Festival in the world, the IMAGINEnative Arts & Film Festival 2019 in Toronto, Canada, and was accepted into the largest indigenous film festival in the Southern Hemisphere, the MAORILAND Film Festival 2020 in Otaki, New Zealand. It has also won the award for Best Micro-Animation at the Micromania Film Festival 2020.

During my time spent sending the short film around the world, I’ve come to realise that there is a dire lack of creative film content from Fiji and the South Pacific in general.

With that realisation, I am inspired to work on my 2nd animated short film, ‘SOLI BULA’.

In my research about Fiji’s pre-contact history, I’ve learnt that a lot of our traditions and culture has been eroded over time through contact with Missionaries and Westernisation in general. And it got me thinking – what would Fiji look like if it still held to its Traditions and Cultures, some of them grim as they were? Which is how SOLI BULA was born.

With the success of the Kickstarter we ran to raise funds to pay for the production, we were able to work and create the animated short film despite COVID hardships and am proud to finally present you with the finished product.