“THE ORATOR (O LE TULAFALE) is a contemporary drama about courage, forgiveness and love. Small in stature and humble, Saili lives a simple life with his beloved wife and daughter in an isolated, traditional village in the islands of Samoa. Forced to protect his land and family, Saili must face his fears and seek the right to speak up for those he loves.
“THE ORATOR (O LE TULAFALE)is the story of a man, Saili, who wants only to defend the honour of his beloved wife and be at peace with her. Saili is physically disadvantaged, with no great aspirations or expectations for himself and yet he is confronted with overwhelming adversaries and miraculously, through willpower, spirit and love for his beloved Vaaiga, he becomes an unlikely hero at the end. It is a story about confronting self-doubt, distrust and prejudice – an underdog story set in an exotic place. The story takes place in a small village in Samoa. The landscape, people, culture, images, colour, sound and feel of Samoa offer this story a new and unique perspective of life. In this film Samoa is a character. This film is a folktale and a lullaby. Beneath the exotic setting are universal themes of the strength of the human spirit and love.
“Festival/Awards: Orizzonti In Competition, Venice International Film Festival; Sundance; Palm Springs; Pacific Rim Film Festival (USA).” - New Zealand Film Commission; http://www.nzfilm.co.nz/film/the-orator-o-le-tulafale; 17/01/2014.