PACIFICTION – Review by Diane Carson
Most associations for the French Polynesian island of Tahiti derive from early films such as Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) or enticing, idyllic tourist ads. Catalan director Albert Serra takes an intriguing unique approach in his Pacifiction. For two and three quarter hours, the present-day story follows De Roller, the High Commissioner of the Republic and French government’s overseas territory. Scrutinizing De Roller’s interactions with Indigenous locals, wealthy power brokers, a Jehovah Witnesses minister, exploitive outsiders, and more, the multifaceted nature of this isolated community comes to vivid life.
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