Body to make movie in PNG

 By MIRIAM MALAWA

AN Australian aid-funded organisation will film and produce a new movie series in Papua New Guinea.

Tribal Voice Arts Links, a community-based organisation, is a local soap opera group which is bringing film production back to the country.

With a K47,300 funding from AusAID through Strongim Pipol, Strongim Nesen (SPSN), the group will hopefully launch the film series in December. 

Film director and executive producer McPolly Koima was part of the 80-member PNG cast which took part in the German film production Jungle Child in 2008.

Koima said films not only entertained but had in-depth relevance. 

“Grace simply means love, dignity, kindness and mercy which is what PNG lacks currently. 

“This story reflects the quality of life in a nation that is 70% illiterate and divided by over thousand different tribe and geographical features, cultures and traditions,” he said.

He said the story of Grace would take people on a tour of schools, villages and the city of Port Moresby.

SPSN programme director Jeremy Syme said it was important to recognise that it was really about art-media and that the production of films was about art.

Syme said the funding was a gift from the people of Australia to the people of PNG.