Chris Owen was born in 1944. He has contributed directly or indirectly to almost every significant documentary made in Papua new Guinea over the last three decades – whether as director, cinematographer, editor or as adviser and trouble-shooter. He has also made a series of internationally acclaimed documentaries of his own – including The Red Bowman, Man Without Pigs and the recent award winning Bridewealth For A Goddess. In the last few years Chris Owen has also served as Director of the national Film Institute of Papua New Guinea and has trained and worked with a team of Melanesian filmmakers, some of who contributed to the production of Betelnut Bisnis.
The Kaimas are settlers in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, without land of their own, living on small plots on the outskirts of Goroka town by arrangement with the traditional landowners. The soil is too poor to grow their food and they have to rely on cash earnings to survive.
Lukas sometimes finds part-time work as a night…