SR/OE
Papa Buka – Dr. Biju – 102´(Papoa Nova Guiné/India) – Drama, ecologia, bio-diversidade
Two Indians. A photographer, Romila, and a historian, Anand, set out to discover the stories of soldiers from their country who died in Papua during World War II, fighting alongside the Australians and the British. One of them is Romila’s grandfather. Their guide is Papa Buka, a wise old man who introduces them to the dance, music, tribes, biodiversity, cultural heritage and, above all, the suffering of a war that was not theirs.
This film is Papua New Guinea’s Oscar nominee, co-produced with India and directed by one of India’s most prestigious filmmakers, whose work has won awards at multiple festivals, including Fantasporto. Three times winner of the National Indian Film Award, member of the Oscar selection committee in 2015, his first film was “Saira” (2007), screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Other features followed and earning over 20 awards all over the world in numerous festivals such as Shanghai, Cannes, Moscovo, Chicago or Tallin. In Fantasporto with “Painting Life” (2018), he was granted the Critics Award. He is also known for “Birds with Large Wings” (2015), “Sound of Silence” (2017), winner of the Cincinatti Film Festival, and “Trees Under the Sun” (2019), awarded as Best Film in Toulouse. “Invisible Windows” (2022), screened in Fantasporto, preceeded this “Papa Buka” (2025).
