Selection Films from the FIFO 2026
Discover the Selection of films to be presented at FIFO 2026.
The films were selected by a pre-selection committee and are divided into 4 categories:
Films in competition
10 films selected in this category
Films not in competition
15 films selected in this category
Window-on-courts
7 documentary short films
Oceanic fictions
15th Night of Oceanic Fiction (12 films)
FILMS IN COMPETITION
Ten to fifteen films are selected in the category Films in competition every year because they are the very essence of FIFO. While several themes overlap the selection of the FIFO, the films included in this category testify both to the great diversity of Oceania and to the technical quality of the cinematographic productions in the region.
Before the Moon Falls
Following a diagnosis of mental illness, Samoan writer Sia Figiel embarks on a journey to discover the roots of her suffering. But the path to healing is difficult, heartbreaking, and necessary...
Being Niuean
The film tells the story of many Pacific islands where migration has transformed villages and towns into ghost towns. It is the story of those who stayed, those who left and those who are returning; a reflection on the evolution of identities for those of the diaspora and those who ...
Emily: I Am Kam
This film pays tribute to the legacy of Emily Kam Kngwarray, a major figure in Australian art and an artist of rare prolificity. It explores the power of her work and how her creation protected her land, Alhalker.
My Street
In Papeete, Marama, 38 years old, bears the marks of a disability and a life spent on the streets since adolescence. Amid trials, motherhood, and addictions, she nevertheless moves forward, maintaining her smile. Today engaged in an integration program, she remains attached to “her street”, questioning the possibility and the meaning of actually leaving it.
Manae Feleu, Captain of Futuna
Captain Futuna paints a portrait of Manae Feleu, captain of the French women’s rugby team, future doctor and ambassador for the unknown island of Futuna. Through her journey and commitment, the film questions identity, tradition and the issues of the overseas territories, drawing a journey between cultural roots and modernity.
The Haka Party Incident
On May 1st 1979, a group of young Māori and Pasifika activists, who would later become known as «He Taua», confronted engineering students at the University of Auckland while they were rehearsing a «fake» haka for their end-of-year parade. The ensuing confrontation led to the arrest of all the ...
The Promise
In the 1960s, Papua New Guinea was on the path to independence. But geopolitical struggles decided otherwise. Thanks to exceptionally restored and colorized archives, The Promise revives this little-known history and reveals how an entire people was gradually betrayed and oppressed.
The Stolen Children of Aotearoa
A historical and contemporary exploration of the systemic war waged by the New Zealand governments against Māori children. The Stolen Children of Aotearoa reveals a legacy of destructive policies and their lasting impacts on indigenous families and communities.
The War Below: Restoring Hope in the Solomon Islands
Every year, in the Solomon Islands, the forgotten epicenter of the Pacific War, bombs from the Second World War continue to kill and injure families. The film follows Loretta, a widowed and disabled woman, who struggles to raise her children, and Maeverlyn, scarred for life. Through their stories, it reveals a humanitarian crisis that ...
Yurlu | Country
A vibrant ode to the land and an intimate portrait of an ancient Aboriginal man in his final year of life, engaged in a determined battle to reclaim his territory, ravaged by «the Australian Chernobyl,» the most contaminated site in the southern hemisphere.
FILMS OUT OF COMPETITION
The Films not in competition The films presented in FIFO are a selection of complementary films that can provide new insights or a new approach to addressing the issues of the Pacific.
De Gaulle, the bomb at any cost!
How did France become a nuclear power? This documentary traces the origins of the French bomb, from the first tests in Algeria to those conducted in Polynesia. Through rare images from General Moruroa and exclusive testimonies, it reveals the behind-the-scenes story of a military and political adventure that remained secret for a long time.
Fatal Watch
Four marine observers disappear in disturbing circumstances. This thrilling investigation seeks to understand why. From the islands of Fiji to the coast of Ghana, the film exposes the dark side of the global tuna trade: an immense oceanic space where the pursuit of profit often outweighs human life.
Fenua Vice
Beneath the postcard image, Polynesia is devastated by ICE. Heimoana, Ingrid and Charles recount the ravages of this drug: broken children, shattered families, a heavy silence. Faced with this scourge that affects all walks of life, a citizen movement arises and demands urgent action to stem the explosion of this social crisis.
<div ...
Hortense, the queen of the Isle of Pines
This film recounts the story of Hortense Kanedjo Vendegou, a Kanak chief and a major figure of the Kunie people. Through the voices of those who today perpetuate her legacy, her journey intersects with that of the deportees from the Commune and the Kabyle rebellion. A heroine whose strength and vision continue to illuminate the future of New Caledonia.
<div ...
How to Poison a Planet
This film reveals how the «eternal pollutants» eventually contaminated every corner of the planet, causing a major environmental crisis. From the streets of New York to the coasts of Australia, and far beyond, the film traces the scale of a global chemical scandal with still poorly controlled consequences.
The legacy of the Lapita
A journey through time in the footsteps of the Lapita, the people of the Pacific Ocean considered the ancestors of the Polynesians. Through archaeology and contemporary history, the film traces their epic and shows how this heritage still shapes the Oceanic societies of today.
The Sasi Shrine in Papua
Raja Ampat is among the most well-preserved ecosystems on the planet. The Papuan Sasi sanctuary pays tribute to this tradition of protecting and respecting the environment. This film shows how, with modest means, Papuan communities have been able to protect their habitat and resources, offering an inspiring model of preservation.
<div ...
The red scarves, the forgotten history
«We are going to create a new people!» was the vision that L. Chivot remembers. «A will to breathe, to speak, to love,» adds N. Naisseline. This film revives a little-known story: that of a decolonial and inclusive dream, born in the excitement of May 68 and broken by the violence of the years ...
The Words That Hurt
Heiva Taure’a 2024: The students of Maco Tevane high school put on a powerful show about the theme of bullying. The film follows the creation of their performance and reveals a youth that takes culture into their own hands to convey an unequivocal message: bullying destroys and must no longer be tolerated.
Marlon Williams: Two Worlds (Ngã Ao and Rua)
Follow an Aotearoa singer-songwriter on an introspective journey, where he explores his origins and creates his very first album in Te Reo Māori. An intimate quest for identity where artistic creation becomes a language and language becomes a message.
New Caledonia: A return to roots
Born deaf in New Caledonia and raised in metropolitan France in the hope of a better future, Wallès returns forty years later to his homeland. There he meets the deaf community and revisits his triple identity: deaf, Kanak, and child of France. An intimate journey into his belonging, his roots, and his place.
Ŋa Hinarere
In 1955, Thor Heyerdahl’s expedition brought the world’s attention to Rapa Nui. While international attention focused on the overturned moai, the population still lived under the authority of the Chilean navy. The film recounts the story of Lázaro Hotu and his people, who, defying colonial doubts, rose to their feet ...
Sukundimi Walks Before Me
A film that takes us to Papua New Guinea. While a mining project threatens the sources of one of the world’s great wild rivers. The indigenous communities of the Sepik River in New Guinea have engaged in resistance to protect this land and its waters. The stories of life and struggles of these peoples show us the ...
The Raftsmen
Twelve adventurers from seven countries gather around the crazy dream of an explorer: to cross the Pacific Ocean on three handmade wooden rafts, guided only by the stars and the sun. Facing storms, sharks and their own demons, they will live six months of an exceptional odyssey, the longest raft crossing ...
The Shape of Things, the Dick Brewer Story
This documentary traces the journey of Dick Brewer, an essential figure in the world of surfing design. The film highlights the ingenuity of a visionary creator whose innovations have transformed this sport three times, permanently marking its evolution.
Window on the courts
The “courts”It is the annual event that opens a window onto the audiovisual expertise of the region and onto the talent of its citizens.” storytellers from our brothers in the Pacific. A night to travel to the fringes of Oceanic stories, cultures, and imaginaries! This evening will mainly revolve around the themes of family, love, and identity.
He Mo’olelo Wahi Pana
Carried by Hawaiian oral tradition, this moʻolelo tells the story of the journey of two sisters through Hawaiʻi. Their journey blends love, memory, and ancestral heritage, revealing the island as an ancient family, a living archive of culture, transmission, and transformation.
Nothing is Impossible: The Primanavia Story
As the World Choir Games approach, the young Fijian choir “Primanavia” faces obstacles that seem insurmountable. Yet what unfolds is a story of faith, a love of music, and fierce determination, revealing that with passion and perseverance, anything is possible.
Papa Tom, From the Seas to the Stars
This film recounts the extraordinary journey of “Papa” Tom Davis, a major figure in the Cook Islands. A traditional navigator, the first Pacific scientist to work for NASA and a dedicated physician to the island communities. He pushed the boundaries of the sea as well as those of the stars. The documentary reveals how his genius and commitment saved lives ...
Ngadjuri, Spirit and Songs of Country
What does it mean to be an Aboriginal person, the first people of Australia? This film shares culture, knowledge and a deep connection to the land. Filmed on the Ngadjuri lands in South Australia, it offers an intimate look at the identity and transmission of the First Nations peoples.
Land Back!
In New Zealand, this film takes us to the heart of the Hīkoi, a great march of the Māori people, led to defend their rights and lands against the conservative government of Christopher Luxon. Through this powerful mobilization, the film reminds us how the traces of colonization remain present and continue to shape today’s struggles.
Fearlessli
After seeing her gender identity rejected in her country, Lee Li, a transsexual woman seeking asylum, had to leave everything behind: her family, her language, her homeland. A long journey towards freedom, belonging and the reclaiming of her personal power begins for her.
The Forgotten Soldiers of Niue
The little-known story of the «forgotten soldiers» of Niue: 150 men plucked from their island to be sent into the cold of the front lines of the First World War in France, for a conflict that was not their own. Yet the Niuean soldiers will never make it there: many will die along the way, victims of ...
16th night of Oceanic fiction (short films)
Since 2007, FIFO has opened its screens to fiction. The idea: a selection of short fiction films, Each for less than 30 minutes. Diversity, creativity, identity, originality, traditions and modernity, a few portraits, a selection of quality. A must-see... and to be savored without reservation!
Fa’aheimoe
After discovering a mysterious book, a woman is drawn into a world of dreams. She travels through a realm where reality and imagination blend together…
The Pumpkin
On Halloween night, in the dark hallways of an apartment building, a young girl is pursued by a mysterious man. The tension between danger and imagination rises as the shadow gets closer…
Pākehā
In the 1980s, in New Zealand, a young Māori mother determined to learn Māori Te Reo exposed her struggles, resilience and courage in a true story imbued with the idea of reconciliation.
Wait, wait, now!
Two best friends raid Mom’s closet and discover a world where you can live your life without fear and in freedom… But the parents understand and their secret bubble faces reality!
Live from the Alice
A journalist seeking sensationalism is sent to the remote town of Alice Springs to cover the town’s fight against social disorder. She must, reluctantly, team up with a technician whose connections to this community could make the task more difficult…
Pierrot Lenquette
Pierrot Lenquette is a man. That’s obvious from details that cannot be mistaken for anything else. He is also a private detective, and that’s not obvious. One morning he reads in the newspaper: “There’s nickel in the tap water…” His day turns upside down and an unexpected investigation begins for him...
The Sandbank
Only on a stretch of sand in the middle of the Pacific Ocean do three young girls play happily on the beach surrounded by crystal clear waters. But a danger approaches with the rising tide: a plastic bottle!
First Drop
Ted, a retired recluse, reluctantly takes on the responsibility of caring for Saleha, the 8-year-old daughter of his Pakistani neighbor. What begins as a forced favor turns into an unlikely friendship, until painful memories threaten to tear them apart.
Rapido
A Māori boy’s favorite war comic, filled with fantastical action and adventure, stimulates his imagination. During a spiritual purification, he discovers that his grandfather, whom he grew up apart from, was a veteran of the Second World War.
Küī
Inspired by a true story. Faced with the absence of her mother and her father’s alcoholism, Küī, a 12-year-old girl, accepts a role as an adult, caring for her brothers and facing the harsh realities of an adult life.
The Arrangements
In Kalihi, a popular neighborhood in Oʻahu, three Micronesian boys have a day to organize the funeral of their friend who passed away too early and to find the treasure he said he had hidden. A sensitive look at childhood, grief, and solidarity within the Micronesian community in Hawaii.
The Wake
Following the death of her father, an emotionally distant son tries to return home and reconnect with his mother. She reveals to him that she saw the carcass of a giant sea monster on the beach.
French French 
English