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A large and full theatre, a smiling, moved and proud jury, a Maison de la Culture in full bloom, cheerful chants, dances full of grace and energy, extracts from winning films inciting people to see them…The FIFO 2010 prize-giving ceremony evening merits sharing.

As is the custom, the suspense was held until the end for the winner of the jury prize. The special prizes (300 000 Fcfp each) were awarded first of all. The third for, ‘The Untouchable Girls’ from New Zealand, an 82 minute film by Leanne Pooley who shows the life of funny and lively lesbian twins. It is a joyful film, which offsets the generally more austere trend. The second was awarded to Keala Kelly from Hawaii, for her 73 minute film called, ‘Noho Hewa.’ It is about Hawaiians who denounce the continual desecration of graves and sacred places, the American military presence in Hawaii and the dispossession of the Hawaiian people by the American colonial occupation. The first prize went to Amiel Courtin-Wilson for, ‘Bastardy,’ an 83 minute film, “Funny and dramatic at the same time, but with an amazing actor. It is a film with all the necessary ingredients to please, which it will do for everyone.’ The public prize was then awarded to, ‘Native Land, Return to Rurutu,’ directed by Jean-Michel Corillon, who was able to narrate the problem of adoption, “Full of modesty, without pathos, without voyeurism. This was a difficult exercise.”

Out of the five films awarded at this seventh edition, two are from New Zealand as it was,‘Te Henua E Noho,’ by Briar March, which was awarded with the jury grand prix in the end (500 000 Fcfp prize money). It is an 80 minute film, on an island off the coast of Papua New Guinea, threatened by rising sea levels, raising important questions for inhabitants. Florence Aubenas highlighted, “With this prize we wanted to award both the flapping of butterfly wings, that is to say a very small island in the middle of the ocean which will be submerged by the sea and which demonstrates this problem at the heart of this continent, and also the human adventure that it represents, to know these people who suddenly have a choice to make: to be the first to leave or the last to stay. It is a human choice that is extremely captivating and well narrated since each of the inhabitants explains their choice, what makes them change their mind… It is an extremely moving film which is what we wanted to award.”

The Chairwoman of the jury admits that the choice was however hard. “It was very close,” she admitted. “We quarrelled a little, as is normal. We hesitated, argued, it lasted longer than we thought it would. But we are very pleased with our prize list and very happy with the winner. […] We would like to state the extent to which we have been happy and proud to take part in this adventure which is a documentary school in the middle of Oceania. During our numerous discussions, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor used to say, "What would Cannes be without its festival"; It will soon be said, "What would Tahiti be without FIFO?”!”