Papa Buka – is a non-commercial feature film that tells the story of an Indian Historian who sets on a journey across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific and landed on the biggest Island in the Pacific, Papua New Guinea (PNG).
This Indian Historian was on a mission to find out where her late grandfather was buried because her grandfather served as a soldier in the World War II here in New Guinea and has never returned home after the war.
Papa Buka Producer Ms. Noelene Taula Wunum from the Native Arts and Fashion Academy highlighted that the film would paint a clear picture of Indians who were also part of the war between the Japanese and the Australians.
“Indians are very resilient people and not noticeable in the history of the WWII, and this film will tell of how Indians also contributed to the freedom of this beautiful Island country, Papua New Guinea.”
Ms. Wunum stated that Papa Buka Film journey started back in year 2019 with film preparation and collaboration with Native Arts and Fashion Academy in Papua New Guinea by which she is the Producer and has worked in partnership with the two Indian Producers, Pa Randith from the Neelam Productions and Praskash Bare from the Silicon Media Production House.
In late August this year a crew of thirteen (13) members from India travel to Papua New Guinea to shoot the film, they were accompanied by Writer and the Director Dr Bijukumar, Heads of Dept in India Film Industry.
“Out of the 13 that came over to PNG, only two were cast members, Actor Prakash Bare (lead actor) and Lead Bollywood Actress Ratibhari Chakraborty and the rest were crew members.”
“The amazing part about the movie is all other actors in the movie are all from PNG.”
Ms. Wunum also added that the Papa Buka Film was 100% shot on location here in PNG, with 20% of the film shot in Port Moresby at the National Museum, National Library and Archives, and 80% outside the city, few scenes at the Pacific Adventist University and almost the rest were shot at the Variarata Park at Sorgeri with the Koiari people.
“In this Papa Buka film we also want to showcase PNG’s identity, culture and our history to the outside world,” said Wunum.
“The movie is 90% Tok Pisin and 10% India, only few dialogue between the two Indian casts”.
Wunum further added that the film shooting was completed, and the Indian Crew have all gone back to India, so when in India, the Papa Buka Film will go through 3-4 months of post-production.
“Right after production, Papa Buka will be premiered in the Indian Film Festival, and Native Arts and Fashion Academy will also premier the film here in PNG at the Paradice Cinema around January 2025.”
“By September 2025 the Papa Buka Film should go to the Oscars, so this is our timeline, and we hope to archive all these”, said Wunum.
Ms. Wunum acknowledges collaboration of the Government and private entities who had helped in this journey of Papa Buka Film making, National Cultural Commission, National Film Institute, Department of Community Development and Religion, Women Empowerment Mission, Censorship Office, PAU, UPNG, Police Media Unit, the Koiari Community, Bomana War Cemetery and many other individuals and groups who had contributed to this project.
In the meantime, Ms. Wunum wants to clarify that the article published in one of the Daily Newspaper-Post Courier, date 27th August in regard to Papa Buka Film is not true and that the Director of Papa Buka Film, the Producer herself Ms. Wunum and the entire crew were disappointed at the misinformation published by the paper stating that Mr. Spencer Peter William Wangere is leading the Papa Buka Film.
Mr. Spencer Wangere in his Facebook post clarifies that he was advocating for his input in government policy, especially the MTDP 4 (DIP1.7 National Film and Creative Arts Program) but the Post-Courier misquoted his LinkedIn post, without even contacting him for feedback or clarification, they went ahead and published their article.