Asmat (2000)

The Radar read

A quieter title still finding its audience, though the rating rests on a thin sample, so treat it as provisional.

Synopsis

The Asmat people live on the southwestern coast of western Papua, a land that has long remained free of outsiders, discouraged by the Asmats' terrifying reputation as cannibals and headhunters. The film tells the story of Rufinus, a 20 year old Asmat, that will be married. Before that however, he must capture and kill a cassowary, the great solitary bird that lives in the depths of the jungle. Accomplishing this task will give Rufinus a sense of belonging to the Asmat people, whom their neighbors, the Mimikans call, 'We mana wé: the men who eat the man'. Parallel to the wedding, spectacular and rare stock film retraces the history of this terrifying people.

Synopsis and metadata sourced from The Movie Database (TMDB).

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