NAME MELLAH KILANGIT, FILMMAKER

BASED PORT MORESBY, CENTRAL PROVINCE

A computer science graduate from Unitech, Mellah Kilangit never planned to be a filmmaker, but eight years ago a cousin asked him to shoot and produce a music video and he hasn’t looked back.

“I was working in the mines and I would work on films during my breaks. I am entirely self taught. I went online and learnt the basics and grew from there.”

Kilangit does music videos and films for politicians, but he is passionate about using digital filmmaking to document the lives of ordinary Papua New Guineans. “Film is a medium to say the things you need to say. We have 800-plus cultures and tribes in PNG – there are so many legends and stories I would like to tell through film.” Kilangit posts his passion projects to YouTube.

At the moment, he believes there is not enough investment in filmmaking in PNG, but that shouldn’t stop those interested in pursuing it. “Just pick up a camera and go online and learn as much as you can,” he advises.