Black Harvest

Joe Leahy, son of an Australian planter and a native woman, lives in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. After ten years of hard work, he is now the rich owner of a coffee plantation. To expand his activities, he enters into a treaty with the Ganiga Tribe. His great ally is Popina Mai, a warlord and orator who intends to lead his people to the modern world as quickly as possible. Together, they start a new plantation, Kaugum. They agree that Leahy will get sixty percent of the yield, but the others, five hundred tribesmen, get only forty percent. After years of patience, the first harvest can be brought in. The Ganiga are looking forward this reward for all their hard work. Joe Leahy’s life-style continually reminded them of what they believed would be their riches to come. The Ganigas want money, too. They believe that the coffee-harvest will answer their prayers. BLACK HARVEST shows us that these expectations weigh too heavily on the shoulders of Joe, Popina Mai, and the harvest itself. When traditional ways clash with modern ones, a power struggle erupts. On the eve of the harvest, a conflict breaks out within the tribe. The promise of wealth is replaced by spears, bows and arrows, and guns. Director Bob Connolly is a member of this year’s Joris Ivens jury.