program, the Royal PNG Constabulary Media Unit, PNG Office of Censorship and the National Cultural Commission, and hair and makeup artists from Hannah’s Beauty Box. The director of 2024 PNG film Ples Man and its soon to be
PNG and India are, something the visitors also remarked on. “From their feedback and my observations, they really enjoyed their time here. They say PNG and India have a lot of things in common.” This ranged from each one’s deep- rooted colonial past, to both having a rich cultural diversity, strong community and family ties that were crucial to social life, a history of a reliance on farming by a large number of their people, and similar challenges of poverty and access to health care, schools and services. With so much Oscar buzz around Papa Buka , Noelene wanted to make it clear that the primary goal of the movie had always been to promote PNG’s arts and culture across the world. “If you’re a Papua New Guinean, Papa Buka is your movie. We will show it across PNG before we submit it to the Oscars. Mainly it is to represent; to put PNG on the world map – that’s the bigger objective. “ Papa Buka is a movie of the common people, simple village people who struggle a lot in life, but with this movie, they did something big. They don’t really have the money, but they contributed to something that is for PNG, for a movie that will open up the film industry for PNG. “ Papa Buka will tell the world that PNG is not a bad country, it’s a place
One of the movie’s scenes of village life features these little girls baiting homemade fishing rods with worms
professionals from India. “One thing I really admired about our people is, when you see the movie, they are not actors and actresses who have been in some movie before, this is their first movie! But the raw talent that we have, if you see the preview it’s just too good. That shows that Papua New Guineans can learn fast. You just show them once and
they already pick it up, they just do it like they have done it before.” Interns were chosen from the arts schools of the University of Papua New Guinea and Pacific Adventist University, as well as from the National Film Institute in Goroka,
released sequel Ples Man 2 , Ramanathan Undiapah of Jona Film Production, also joined the internship. Each intern received a certificate from NAFA signed by Papa Buka ’s director Dr Biju to recognise the skills obtained during the shoot. Working closely with the Indian film crews also brought home to Noelene how alike
the Department for Community Development and Religion’s women empowerment
PNG producer Noelene Wunum (left) addresses the cast and crew on the first day of shooting at the National Museum on August 15 last year
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