SAILAU – Documentary Film & Awards

‍SAILAU is the award-winning documentary film directed by Thor F. Jensen, chronicling the world’s first circumnavigation of the island of New Guinea in a traditional sailau canoe, with local master sailors Sanakoli John, Justin John, and Job Siyae (sailaufilm.com).

Festival Screenings & Awards

• World Premiere: Doc Edge International Film Festival (Auckland & Wellington, June 2023) —icially selected for New Zealand debut (filmfreeway.com).
• Grand Prize, International Maritime Film Festival (Bucksport, Maine, USA, 2023).
• Best Nordic Film, Nordic Adventure Film Festival (Copenhagen, December 1, 2023) — awarded by festival judges in a sold‑out screening.
• Best Sailing Film, Travel Beyond Film Festival (travelbeyondfilmfestival.com).
• Additional official selections: Adventure Travel Film Festival (UK), JachtFilm Festival (Warsaw, Poland), and others across Europe (filmfreeway.com).

Papua New Guinea Premiere & Local Reception

The PNG premiere took place during the National Kenu and Kundu Festival in Alotau on 2 November 2024, with thousands in attendance. Following this, it screened at the Pasifika Film Festival in Port Moresby (8 November) and on EMTV (17 November) (postcourier.com.pg).

Local partners including Air Niugini, Consort Express Lines, and Grand Papua Hotel supported the screenings. Audience reactions were enthusiastic, and the film was widely praised for reigniting pride in PNG’s maritime heritage.

Social Impact & Purpose

SAILAU is more than a film—it’s a social impact campaign designed to inspire Papua New Guineans to value traditional navigation and cultural heritage. It serves as an educational tool in schools and supports cultural re-engagement among youth, encouraging them to reconnect with voyaging traditions rather than solely Western influences.