Fiji Times, 26th April – This year is set to be another very busy year of film activity after a stellar 2017 of high quality productions in Fiji.
From the lush remote regions to the pristine sandy beaches, Fiji also remains as a sought after film location in the world with 74 productions shot in 2017. This year — another major production is currently being shot in the country — the American adventure drama film The Other Side of Heaven 2.
The sequel is a continuation of the movie The Other Side of Heaven, released in 2001, which tells the true story of a Mormon missionary Elder John Groberg’s mission to the islands of Tonga and Fiji in the 1950s. The first part of the movie was distributed by Walt Disney and starred Christopher Gorham as Groberg and Anne Hathaway as the wife Jean Groberg.
The original was shot in New Zealand but the second part to the movie is now being shot in Fiji — with only two scenes being shot in New Zealand and the US. According to film-maker and director Mitch Davis, The Other Side of Heaven 2 continues the story of Elder Groberg as he returns to Tonga and Fiji in the 1960s.
“The original movie was produced in 2000, it told a true story of a missionary who went Tonga in the 1950s as young man,” Davis told this newspaper.
“This movie, The Other Side of Heaven 2, tells the story of that same man returns to Tonga and Fiji now married with five young daughters.”
After 17 years since the successful release of the original movie, Davis said they have had pressure to do a sequel but was held up by one major factor: money.
“Why did I wait so long, well we’ve had pressure on us to do a sequel ever since the first one but I couldn’t figure out a way financially to make the movie well with the amount of money we could raise,” he said.
“So I discovered the Fiji Film tax rebate and with that 47 per cent rebate, all of a sudden I could raise enough money to make the movie well.”
The second part of the movie — with a seven-figure budget is also returning with its original actor Gorham in Elder Groberg’s role while New Zealand actor Natalie Medlock is playing his wife, Jean.
“We couldn’t afford Anne Hathaway but we’ve cast an amazing actor from New Zealand to portray his wife,” Davis said.
Some of the actors who played Tongans in the first film — including Joseph Folau, Nathaniel Lees and Miriama Smith — are also expected to return in the sequel.
Last week, the cast and crew of the movie were in Naitonitoni, Navua shooting a scene after being held back by the adverse weather facing the country.
Majority of the cast and crew of the movie are locals — some of whom were recruited with no prior experience in the film industry.
“We are thrilled to make a movie in Fiji with a lot of Fiji locals as actors, extras and in the crew,” Davis said.
“Since the movie takes place both in Tonga and Fiji, for the extras and actors we tried to find Fijians of Tongan descent with Tongan appearance but not in all cases.
“For example our location manager Lance Miller has been able to find us brilliant locations that bring real value to this film.”
Davis said they will be shooting for a total of seven weeks in several locations in Suva, Navua and the Mamanucas and were about a fourth of the way through to completing production.
“We are just grateful to be in Fiji and grateful for the spirit of Polynesia and the island people.
“We’ve felt their love, their faith and hospitality and we are grateful to be here and hope that everyone feels proud of the movie,” he said.
“This a movie that will make you laugh, make you cry, make you feel and it will make you think.
“It’s a faith promoting family adventure and it talks things that matter and things of the heart.”
The Other Side of Heaven 2, according to Davis, will be released in theatres in April 2019 — and will go on DVD afterwards.
