2014 • 26' • French
Director(s): Jacques Navarro-Rovira • Producer(s): Grand Angle Productions • Coproducer(s): France Télévisions • Format(s): HD
Raiatea, the capital island of the Windward Islands in French Polynesia. Its lagoon, its motus, its harbor, its marina and… its Apetahi Tiara, this five-petal flower in the shape of a hand, unique in the world. Romy, its ardent defender, takes us to the top of Mont Temehani to see the last seedlings of this endangered flower, whilst telling us about the legend it conveys. But Maurice disagrees. This touristic guide takes us up the Faaroa river, French Polynesia’s only navigable one, showing us the Marae of Taputapuaeta, while telling us about the other versions of the flower’s legend. There are 8 different ones, according to him. Some talk about the flower, others sing about it, like Ekana and her dance group, “Palme d’or” of a Heiva in South Korea, or Tai, a 78 years old former lifeguard, a singer and Hawaiian steel guitar player. Both of them took part in the July 14th Heiva festivities. Lico also participated, but in his own way, by driving his AMX30 tank on the Champs Elysées on a Bastille Day, a long time ago. Today he makes a living out of net fishing in the lagoon, only wearing underpants, the sole piece of clothing he allows himself to wear, even in shops… Flowers are not the only treasures on Raiatea…
