Rena Owen as the Warrior Woman in 2004 film The Land Has Eyes. Photo / thelandhaseyes.org
From Cast Away to Love Island, there’s a good reason why several productions have chosen to film in Fiji.
There are two things you probably remember about the year 2000. One, the Y2K bug not hurting your computer, and two, Tom Hanks crying out for Wilson the volleyball as it got lost at sea in Cast Away, the blockbuster hit filmed in Fiji.
Twenty-five years later, the dramatic scene has Tourism Fiji riffing off it in a new campaign, looking at where Wilson washed up.
But Cast Away isn’t the only major production inspired by the picturesque backdrops of Fiji. We take a look at seven others that not only attracted millions of eyeballs, they helped shape Fiji’s identity on screen.
The 2004 Fijian film The Land Has Eyes is special. It is the only feature film to date from the island of Rotuma, whose indigenous people have a distinct language and culture from mainland groups of Fiji.
The story is based on the local legend telling of a young Rotuman girl (Sapeta Taito) who plots revenge after her father is accused of theft by a neighbour. New Zealand’s Rena Owen stars as Warrior Woman in the film, which landed a Premiere Festival Prize for best overall entry at the 2005 Waiora Māori Film Festival in New Zealand.
“You know the movie is good when you create an emotional connection with a volleyball.”
So read a popular comment on YouTube. And it’s true. Filmed on Monuriki Island off the coast of the mainland, Viti Levu, the story is about FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) surviving on his own on a deserted island for four years after his plane crashed in the Pacific Ocean following a storm.
The scene of a dishevelled Noland screaming out, “Wilson! Wilson! I’m sorry!” as he desperately swims towards the blood-stained volleyball floating adrift broke many hearts, etching its way as an iconic moment in contemporary cinematic history.
The survival-romance trope is one that Fiji can’t, or won’t, shake off.
Adding to its list are The Blue Lagoon (1980) and the sequel, The Return of the Blue Lagoon (1991).
The first Randal Kleiser film, based on the 1908 novel by Henry De Vere Stacpoole, follows the tale of two young cousins and the ship’s cook marooned on an island in the Yasawas, left to fend for themselves in the 19th century.
Its sequel has a similar plot involving two young children and a romance that transpires between them as they grow older. This one was filmed in Taveuni, also known as the Garden Island of Fiji, which is home to the rare tagimocia flower, as well as Turtle Island.
The popular reality dating show that’s so bad it’s good draws good-looking singles to a flash villa in the tropics. And it has favoured Fiji as its location of choice for several seasons.
Love Island USA launched in the Pacific Harbour at the Villa Takali. After a three-year hiatus, the show returned to Fiji from season five in the Mamanuca Islands, where it has been filmed since.
Lying off the coast of Nadi, the archipelago comprising about 20 islands is popular as a luxury destination for tourists. One of the islands is even named Castaway, though its name precedes the film Cast Away.
When Survivor USA appeared on the telly at the turn of the millennium, reality TV was changed forever. The show made regular Joes and Sheilas famous while launching into the cultural zeitgeist. The American show, which has around 50 international versions, has had Jeff Probst as its host since launch.
Contestants are dropped off on a remote island, where they are divided into two tribes. They compete against each other for rewards like food, comfort or immunity from elimination. They gather at the tribe council to take a vote on who should be eliminated, leading to a final winner claiming a significant cash prize.
Since season 33 in 2016, Survivor USA has been filmed in the Mamanuca Islands of Fiji. In May, the show wrapped up its 48th season.
The survival drama 2018 film is based on the true shipwreck story of Richard Sharp and fiancée Tami Oldham, who try to survive after their yacht capsizes amid a ferocious hurricane in the Pacific Ocean in 1983. According to production notes, more than 90% of the film was shot in the open water of Fiji, with some staging done in New Zealand.
Season 7 of the American version of The Bachelorette had dentist and dance instructor Ashley Herbert seeking true love, rose by rose, in various locations in Fiji, including at the Namale Resort & Spa in Savusavu.
The finale of Charity Lawson’s season was also filmed in Fiji.
Varsha Anjali is a journalist in the lifestyle team at the Herald. Based in Auckland, she covers travel, culture and more.