Bubu Belo (2025)

Bubu Belo is a 25-minute film written and acted in Vosa Vakaviti (the iTaukei language) by Adi Tulia Nacola. It follows the 2 main characters, Bubu and Tamana, who live in their little wooden cottage by the sea.
Shot on location in Verevere village in Ra, the province from which Nacola hails, Bubu teaches Tamana to survive off the land by fishing and growing his own food and does her best to instil in him independence and respect for the land. This changes in an instant when an uninvited guest from their mutual past appears and the elderly woman is faced with a difficult decision.
Reliance on the land versus the increasing demand of urban drift has been plaguing indigenous people - for many different reasons - for centuries. “Opportunities might be in the big cities of the world, but there is also a place for opportunities in the village and remaining connected to one’s own land, to know where one comes from,” Nacola shares.
A strong advocate for storytelling and sharing of traditional knowledge within families, this short film was created as a means to build a bridge between elders and youths, including youth who know their language and the ones who are yet to find it. Bubu Belo captures the important relationship between elders and children and shares the importance of storytelling as a teaching tool to reach younger generations to impart the benefits of respecting each other and the land. Bubu and Tamana’s story helps to show communities the importance of knowing where one comes from so that they can move forward into the future with a sense of identity and belonging.
Generous support and partnership has been provided by Film Fiji and the film's UK/Europe PR company Arecina Media.
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