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The Source of Life (Te Puna Ora)

Logline:
As the climate crisis threatens Tahiti, an alliance of women embarks on a sacred journey to protect their island home.

Synopsis:
Inspired by the legend of Goddess Hina, The Source of Life (Te Puna Ora) unfolds as a compelling tale of resistance on the lush island of Mo’orea.

This film follows three exceptional Tahitian women who unite to protect their cherished beach from privatization, determined to prevent their island from facing the same challenges as Tahiti. Their journey uncovers the hidden impacts of unsustainable development, the lingering effects of colonialism on indigenous voices, and issues surrounding land and ocean exploitation. It poignantly illustrates that true progress is inseparable from the preservation of cultural heritage.

This journey invites viewers to explore their own traditions for wisdom, strength, and guidance.

  • Virginie Tetoofa
    Director
    ,E Arioi vahine, Poerava : de la nacre à la perle, histoire d’une famille, Pari Pari Fenua Saison 2, Rurutu, Terre du ‘Umuai, 700 Requins dans la nuit / La meute, Pari Pari Fenua, 3rd generation
  • Virginie Tetoofa
    Writer
    Pari Pari Fenua Saison 2, Rurutu, Terre du ‘Umuai, Sensuel, Pari Pari Fenua, Pari Pari Fenua Saison 1
  • Riham Ezzaldeen
    Producer
    Citizens of Nowhere, Treat me like your mother, Testimonial, Sing For Hope in Greece, Specific Irrelevant Details, Lack of Love
  • Kiran Jandu
    Producer
    We Ocean
  • Maruia Richmond
    Producer
    Below Deck, E Arioi vahine
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    Environmental, Poetic, Women, fantasy, Part-fiction, Indigenous
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 28 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 17, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    French Polynesia
  • Country of Filming:
    French Polynesia
  • Language:
    English, French
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Virginie Tetoofa

Virginie Tetoofa is a Tahitian filmmaker based in French Polynesia. After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts, Australia, she has worked in the film and TV industry for over a decade, both in Europe and in the Pacific. In 2015, Virginie decided to return to her island home to pursue her work as a film director and dive into her roots. She believes that showing the contrast between the intangible elements of Polynesian heritage and the search for openness, can result in a new way of storytelling. Most of her work focuses on the relation between tradition and modernity and on characters that are rooted in their culture. She uses a collaborative approach in her films which often feature the dilemma between preservation and progress. Some of her work includes: "Pari Pari Fenua" season 1 and 2 (short hybrid documentary series), music video "Faafaite” by Pepena and “E Arioi Vahine” (short narrative) which premiered at the Palm Springs Shortfest 2009 and was screened at numerous festivals (Montreal, FIPA, Tel Aviv).

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Director Statement

As a female Polynesian filmmaker based in Tahiti, my films often reflect the duality between traditions and modernity and how we compromise or blend the two. It is my first feature documentary on the subject, allowing me to expand upon the theme through the eyes of three Polynesian women. For me, the best way of communicating this story is by making a hybrid film, mixing fiction and documentary genres to emphasize the dualities. Challenging yet exciting, it allows me to push the boundaries of documentary filmmaking by observing our characters' lives while simultaneously recreating the events that happened during the research and development of the film. An experiment in participatory storytelling, the process has been fluid and dynamic—seeking moments in the future we know will happen, and imagining what will likely happen along the way, while placing an importance on the mythical story of goddess Hina through the film. For us, Polynesian people, our past is ahead of us, meaning we will always ground our stories to our past and our ancestors because they hold the keys to our future.
In the shaping of the story, we have tapped into a truly ancient way of seeing the world—my community is bringing us to the heart of goddess Hina's tale and inviting us into her most secretive rituals. Te Puna Ora not only serves to preserve this precious wisdom for my people but also to share an essential message with the world: We are one with nature.

To me, success is seeing the voice of the Pacific spread across the globe, to raise awareness, whether about environmental conservation, the preservation of our culture and identity, or the wisdom of Polynesian traditions. While our stories may come from a remote, small area of the globe, they can be universal and resonate with everyone.

My main challenge is making a Polynesian film in its Native tongue with the aim of seeing the film go mainstream. Hopefully, Te Puna Ora will achieve that and spread the voice of Pacific Islanders far and wide. We ask our audiences, “What if the key to combating climate change isn’t only innovation in technology? What if we said it's in the stories from our ancestors teaching us how to move forward in modernity?