The Orator (2011)
★★½ — The Orator (2011)
O Le Tulafale (released internationally as The Orator) was the debut feature from Samoan-New Zealand director Tusi Tamasese, and notably the first film ever shot entirely in the Samoan language. Produced through a collaboration between New Zealand's Blueskin Films and the Samoan company O Le Tulafale, the project was a modest, determined effort to bring an authentically Samoan story to the screen on Samoan terms, filmed entirely on location in the islands with a largely non-professional cast. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2011, where it won the FEDEORA Award, and went on to represent New Zealand at the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Tamasese has remained a relatively quiet presence in world cinema since, making his follow-up feature, One Thousand Ropes, in 2017.
A-Z World Movie Tour Samoa The Orator is a rare and welcome glimpse into Samoan culture, visually stunning, deeply traditional, and clearly made with pride and care. The landscapes are breathtaking, the customs are shown with respect, and there’s a quiet dignity in every scene. It’s powerful just to see Polynesian stories told on screen in such an authentic way, with the language, the rituals, and the village life all feeling real and lived-in. You can tell this film means something. But while the intentions and imagery are strong, the pacing is incredibly slow, even by arthouse standards. It’s methodical to the point of stagnation, with long silences, minimal dialogue, and scenes that linger far beyond their natural end. The story of a small-statured man seeking respect in a society that values physical presence and eloquence is touching in theory, but it unfolds so gradually that it’s easy to drift away. There’s emotional weight here, but it’s buried under repetition and restraint. It’s not boring, exactly, just demanding in a way that doesn’t always feel rewarding. You admire it more than you feel it.
Rating: ★★½ | Year: 2011 | Watched: 2025-08-29
Where to watch (UK)
Rent: Apple TV Store
Buy: Apple TV Store
Physical: Amazon UK
Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.
Related on Movies With Macca
More from New Zealand: What We Do in the Shadows (2014) · Mortal Engines (2018) · King Kong (2005) · 'Aho'eitu (2015)
More from the 2010s: Wonder (2017) · Beautiful Boy (2018) · The Witch (2015) · What We Do in the Shadows (2014)
More drama: Viy (1967) · Wonder (2017) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Beautiful Boy (2018)
