New Wan Smolbag film uses storytelling to tackle gender-based violence

Lead Actor Anais Taga giving her opening speech at the launch of Wan Haus Blong Lav. Credit: yutriseup/Savvy Vanuatu

Port Vila, Vanuatu – Tuesday 21 October 2025: A new locally produced film is challenging long-held gender norms to spark important conversations among young people and their families across Vanuatu.

Wan Smolbag Theatre (WSB), in partnership with Save the Children Vanuatu, have recently launched a musical feature film, Wan Haos Blong Lav.

Wan Haos Blong Lav is part of a broader initiative from the ‘yut rise up’ (YRU) program – a youth-led gender-based violence prevention (GBV) initiative – funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the COVID-19 Response for Affected Poor and Vulnerable Groups Project.

The event marked a powerful moment in the movement’s effort to promote respect, equality, and healthy relationships through creative storytelling and youth engagement.

The ‘yut rise up’ program is part of the VAN: COVID-19 Response for Affected Poor and Vulnerable Groups Project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It is implemented by Save the Children Vanuatu in partnership with Youth Challenge Vanuatu (YCV) and Wan Smolbag, under the leadership of the Ministry of Justice and Community Services through the Department of Women’s Affairs.

New Wan Smolbag film uses storytelling to tackle gender-based violence. *Credit: yutriseup/Savvy Vanuatu*

The film’s leading young actor, Anais Taga said it’s interesting to play the role of a young girl who’s considering her first relationship, and this film highlights many sensitive topics that young people find uncomfortable to talk about.

“It was a challenging experience. We learned how to work as a team and realised that if someone fails to perform well it will affect all of us, so we did our best and you can see it in the film.”

Audience listening to speeches at the film launch. *Credit: yutriseup/Savvy Vanuatu*

Dorras said the story was inspired by real situations she observed among young women at the youth centre.

“I’ve seen girls make choices that ruin their lives,” she explained. “So, I decided to write a story that shows a positive image — one where both men and women share responsibilities at home.”

She said the film aims to challenge cultural expectations and show that household work is not a sign of weakness for men.

“In our culture, it’s not normal to see a man washing or cooking at home,” Dorras said. “But when a man does these jobs, it doesn’t make him weak — it shows strength and care. I want people to see that it’s everyone’s job.”

She hopes the film will influence not only youth but also parents, couples, and older generations to rethink traditional roles and teach respect and equality at home.

‘yut rise up’ Workshop Program

To date, more than 400 young people have graduated from the ‘yut rise up’ workshop program in Luganville and Port Vila.

The workshop program is delivered weekly for two-hour sessions over a six-week period in separate sessions for both boys and girls aged between 10-14 and 15-19.

Complementing the youth workshops, are weekly parent workshops run by YCV over a four-week period. The parent workshops offer advice on communicating with adolescents, helping kids navigate peer pressure and tips on how to keep kids safe online.

The innovative, participatory youth workshops feature international best-practice curriculum that has been co-designed in Vanuatu with young people and their parents to ensure culturally appropriate and effective messaging, training delivery and learning occurs.

Youth Challenge Vanuatu and Save the Children will continue to run the six-week ‘yut rise up’ community-based workshop program in schools and community organisations in Port Vila and Luganville until the end of 2025.

Schools and community organisations, including youth groups, churches and sporting clubs, are encouraged to express their interest now to join 2025 ‘yut rise up’ workshop intake by submitting a short online form on the ‘yut rise up’ website at www.yutriseup.com or contacting Youth Challenge Vanuatu.

These workshops are part of the broader ‘yut rise up’ GBV prevention initiative led by Save the Children Vanuatu and supported by Ministry of Justice and Community Services via the Department of Women’s Affairs, and backing from the Asian Development Bank

The ‘yut rise up’ GBV prevention initiative also includes a mentoring program for teenage girls, an online youth campaign, and a film being produced by Wan Smolbag.

Lead actors of the Wan Haos Blong Lav film posing during film launch at WSB. *Credit: yutriseup/Savvy Vanuatu*

Source: Vanuatu Daily Post/ Nicholas Mwai