Calicia best dancer

Tahiti, an island where people dance every night. We rehearse for the Heiva festivities, a dance competition where large troupes compete each July. The film follows a young girl from Raiatea, Calicia Taufa, second prize for best dancer at Heiva i Tahiti 2017, filmed day by day from the first rehearsals to the synod of the Maohi Protestant church in Taravao after the Heiva.

Directed by Jonathan Bougard, Calicia best dancer leans on a strong ensemble — Calicia Taufa, John Mairai, Sem Manutahi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2018.