Tabu (film)

Tabu (film)

Tabu (also called Tabu, a Story of the South Seas) is a 1931 film which tells the story of two lovers in the South Seas, who must escape their village when the girl is chosen as the holy maid to the gods. The actors are billed as Reri, Matahi, Hitu, Jean and Jules.

The movie was written by Robert J. Flaherty, F.W. Murnau and Edgar G. Ulmer. It was directed by Flaherty and Murnau. The title of the film comes from the concept of tapu (sometimes spelled tabu), a form of sacredness in many Polynesian cultures.

It won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The film has been deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.