If it was the description of the end of the Leahy's family story in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, the film succeeded in telling it. The Black Harvest was the last part of the documentary trilogy filmed by Connolly. The project started with the story about Leahy brothers who found near one million people during their search for gold. The Black Harvest demonstrated how the “result” of this journey Joe Leahy failed to expand his coffee plantation and had to leave it. The movie also succeeded in the demonstration of severities, which representatives of mixed races and cultures facing. Joe Leahy was one of them and he did not feel the affiliation both to Ganiga and white people.
It is difficult to say if the treatment of the subject was fair. I can say authors were unprejudiced when they filmed events. Actions of Ganiga people and their leader Popina Mai looked unfair. It was not Leahy’s fault that coffee prices fell, and tribe should not forget about its responsibilities like it did when abandoned the plantation to take part in war. Popina Mai’s decision to dissolve the partnership also damaged Leahy’s position.
The film was quite informative and insightful. It demonstrated not only Leahy’s situation and his relations with uncle, but also showed life of Ganiga people. The movie helped to understand tribe’s internal and external policies. It also demonstrated some traditions, like funeral ceremony.
Authors included several scenes to raise the movie’s effect. Images of rotten coffee beans on trees, which gave the name to the film, were one of them. Connolly and his team were able to “transfer” viewers to the Highlands by showing the life of Ganiga people in their settlements. Battle scenes and preparations to the war also became effective scenes that helped to show Ginga’s priorities. The tribe was not directly involved in this fight, but abandoned the plantation because its ally asked for help. Scenes with Joe Leahy and his uncle brought additional emotions to the movie. They showed how the old man tried to live with consequences of many diseases and aging on the back of permanent tribal conflicts and economical problems.
The film makes viewers think about many things. For example, global economical changes are not the only factor that leads to the destruction of a successful business. If Ganiga people would not abandon the plantation after news about the wage cut and war, Leahy would be able to save his business or give it away with fewer losses. The Black Harvest raises the question about mixed-race children’s fate. Joe Leahy lived with Ganiga people for many years, but still did not “get a foot in the door”. There is another proverb that can be linked to this movie - the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Leahy’s problems were caused partially by his decision to improve tribe’s financial conditions and make them partners in the new plantation. The man not only lost his business, but also got huge debt that became a barrier for his settlement in Australia. Leahy’s result makes viewers think that friendship and wish to bring people a better life should not be the only factor to choose business-partners.
The movie made me slightly change prior opinion about relations between tribes and white or mixed-raced people. Other sources often present the last group as planters who exploit less civilized natives in these cases. However, Leahy was presented as an honest businessman who really wanted to help his half-compatriots, but failed because of their behavior.
Works Cited
Momo, Fabi. “Black Harvest (Français complet)”. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 16 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
