They built everything in New Caledonia. They have their roots, their families, their friends, a job and a house. Yet they decided to embark on a new adventure to “get out of their comfort zone and feel alive”. A departure several thousand kilometers from home: to New Zealand.

A French missionary, Paul is in charge of pastoral care in a Papuan refugee camp. He learns that Arnold has disappeared. According to his daughter, the old man has gone to look for the John Frum Airport on the other side of the river, where Papuan rebels are fighting against the cursed gold mine that is bleeding their homeland dry. Paul must find Arnold.

We wanted to make this film as a tribute through a few portraits of women who have undertaken, by choice or obligation, a major turning point in their lives after the age of 50.
These inspiring women speak of our capacity to reinvent ourselves, of the maturity we have gained and the wrinkles that look so pretty in the corner of our eyes.

The Source of Thunder: Mount Thunder Guruguru is taboo, and no one dares to venture there. Between the mountain and the rest of the island lies the mysterious forbidden forest of the elves. The Thunder Guruguru became a man and left the mountain to find Teinua, a young woman who had disappeared into the forbidden forest. He meets a young boy named Timek who might help him find Teinua, trapped by a spring. The elves hidden in the trees tell their story to Timek, and together they manage to free Teinua. Guruguru and Teinua marry, and from their union, clouds and rain are born, helping to combat the drought. Timek learns that imagination can overcome fears.

The Feather Tree: A family of parakeets lived in a large banyan tree. The villagers were proud of them, but the parakeets had become arrogant and were devouring the crops. The villagers decided to chase them away but were unhappy about it. A boy named Timek brought back a lost parakeet, and the parakeets agreed to return. However, they resumed their plundering. Timek had the idea to trap them with special fruits. The parakeets fell ill and realized their mistake. From then on, they asked permission to eat the fruits and respected others. Timek learned that no one is superior and that we must share our differences.

Térénui Vautrin, a 19-year-old Thai boxing prodigy from Caledonia, dreams of fighting at the Mecca of Muay Thai: Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok.
To achieve this goal, he embarks on intense and rigorous training with his mentor Emerick Soekardjan, a former pro boxer, to push back his physical and mental limits.

Nine plants from New Caledonia’s exceptional flora are presumed extinct. These plants, some of which have been declared critically endangered, have not been seen for over a century. Will they find these living treasures, unique on the planet ?

Through the story of 2 women politicians from the early 20th century, the arrival of women in politics in New Caledonia.

Through the testimonies of the accused and the victims, the journey through restorative justice and customary forgiveness in New Caledonia.

In Lifou, in Bourail , in Koné and in Farino we learn to young people how to protect nature.

Europe discovered the cinematograph of the Lumière brothers with the first paid screenings in 1896 in Paris. It only took a few months for the distant New Caledonia to also benefit from the achievements of these two engineers. On April 8, 1897, a certain Mr. Plane arrived on the aptly named steamship Ville-de-la-Ciotat, carrying a precious cargo in his luggage. The film reel of Auguste and Louis Lumière’s The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat was unpacked. The film was screened during several sessions at the City Hall of Nouméa. Cinema had arrived on the island, and the people of New Caledonia took a liking to it.

We will meet the great families who helped develop these cinemas throughout New Caledonia: Hickson, of course, but also Ménard, Kativinéca, Oghino… Each interviewee—a descendant, a former projectionist—will share their connection to one or more cinemas, their memories of films, encounters, emotions… Some were even born thanks to cinema!

Since 1897, all Caledonians have a story with their movie theaters, an anecdote, a kiss exchanged in the shadow of the projector, stories of friendships, jokes, fears…

This film is a journey through time, tracing the old cinemas, but also a journey through the history of cinema. It covers films that have marked the whole world: Ben Hur, Once Upon a Time in the West, Saturday Night Fever, Titanic, Avatar… Movies that left an impression on both Caledonians and global audiences. It’s a bridge between personal, intimate stories and the broader history of humanity.

“Caledonian Cinema” is also proof that movie theaters, despite wars, economic crises, technological advancements, the arrival of television in homes, video cassettes, the internet, and streaming platforms, rise like phoenixes, always coming back. Because in a dark theater, the emotions experienced are special and unique.

“Caledonian Cinema” is a documentary about the memories that connect us, about the emotions each viewer has felt in front of a big screen. A film that speaks to everyone, for everyone.