Tabu

In Murnau's final silent film, a young pearl diver, Matahi, falls in love with Reri, a sacred maiden chosen to be offered to the gods. Forbidden by tribal law to marry, the lovers flee their island paradise for the supposed safety of a more 'civilized' world, only to find themselves entangled in a complex web of exploitation and disillusionment. Their escape leads them to a distant island where the laws are different but the consequences of their defiance are equally dire.

Tabu is widely regarded as a masterpiece of silent cinema, celebrated for its stunning ethnographic detail, lyrical cinematography, and tragic romantic narrative. Critics and audiences alike praised its authenticity and emotional power, considering it a poignant swansong for F.W. Murnau and a significant contribution to documentary-style filmmaking.

• Visually breathtaking with a profound sense of place.
• A tragically beautiful and deeply moving love story.
• Remarkable for its ethnographic authenticity and poetic storytelling.

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Selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director for F. W. Murnau (though this was for his film Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, released in 1927, not Tabu. His directorial work was highly acclaimed).

Tabu was F.W. Murnau's final film, shot on location in Bora Bora and Tahiti with a cast of untrained local performers, offering an unprecedentedly authentic glimpse into Polynesian culture and life at the time.