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THE SOURCE OF LIFE (TE PUNA ORA)

By Virginie TETOOFA

Social issues - Pre-Production 2023

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

- Year of production
- 2023
- Genres
- Social issues, Environmental, Documentary
- Countries
- USA, FRANCE
- Languages
- FRENCH, ENGLISH
- Budget
- 0.6 - 1 M$
- Duration
- 75 mn
- Director(s)
- Virginie TETOOFA
- Producer(s)
- Riham EZZALDEEN (What Took You So Long), Kiran JANDU (Studio Lyra), Maruia RICHMOND (Ahi Company)
- Synopsis
- TE PUNA ORA combines mythology and reality in a character-driven cinematic documentary following the lives of three Tahitian women as they shape an environmental movement in French Polynesia. The story is guided by the journey of POEMA, a Tahitian seafarer and mother who receives a calling to join an alliance of women. Together with her spiritual grandmother, HINANO, and rising young activist, ANUAVAI, the women set sail with the collective purpose of merging traditional Tahitian knowledge within impending ecological policies that will affect the future of their people and the planet. Mirrored throughout is the ancient wisdom of HINA, the Polynesian creation goddess, who empowers the women as they as they race for solutions on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
- Partners & financing
- Co-production between What Took You So Long (USA) + Ahi company (Tahiti, France) + Studio Lyra (USA)
  Some financing is in place from funding bodies.
  Looking for an EP and to sign with a network or streamer.
- Beginning of shooting
- May 15, 2021
- End of shooting
- Jun 30, 2022