Back to the collection

OPEN CLASSIC CINEMA · 945

Moana

192685 minUnited States

Documentary Drama

Video edition: Wikimedia Commons
Original language: No spoken dialogue. Intertitles: English.
This copy runs: 89:46
Subtitles: No subtitle track in this language

Languages and subtitles

No subtitle track in this language

Wikimedia Commons · Robert J. Flaherty · Public domain

Synopsis

A young Samoan man and the people around him gather food, fish, prepare materials and take part in the routines of village life. These activities lead toward courtship and an extended tattooing ceremony associated with adulthood. The film organizes real skills and customs into a shaped account of a family and its place within the community.

Cast

Fa'agase Su'a-Filo

Pe'a

Ta'avale

Tugaita

DirectorsRobert J. Flaherty

Behind the scenes

Robert and Frances Flaherty lived in Samoa while making the film. Its activities were arranged for the camera, combining observation with reconstruction; the images should not be taken as an untouched record of every aspect of contemporary Samoan life.

Sources and availability

General references identify the work and its copy. A reference beside an editorial section is linked to the claims checked in that section.

Wikipedia — film reference Wikidata — film identity and credits Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision — Moana American Archive of Public Broadcasting — Frances Flaherty on Moana

Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.

The public-domain references concern the original films in the United States. Rights can differ for other countries, editions, restorations, music or translations. Sources are listed on each film page.

Availability checked on September 12, 2026.

Audience rating

Loading ratings…