- As a war rages on in the province of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, a young girl becomes transfixed by the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village.
- Mr Watts is the only white man left on the island after the blockade. He opens the school and introduces the children the 'Great Expectations.' Matilda, the teenage narrator finds comfort in the story of a Victorian orphan when her own world is falling apart. The Redskins, an army sent to destroy the local rebels are getting closer. Matilda writes 'Pip' in the sand. This simple act leads to terrible consequences when the Redskins suspect Pip to be a rebel leader and demand he be brought before them.—Jan Killengray
- In 1989, the world's largest open copper mine was in Bougaineville, a remote Island in the South Pacific. The mine sparked a conflict that consumed the entire nation of papa new guinea as Boungainville armed mercenaries revolt against the Papa New Guniea govt for selling their island to the mining company. In response the Guniea govt decides to send in the army to fight off the rebels and reopen the mine. In 1989, as a war rages on in the province of Bougainville-then called North Solomons-in Papua New Guinea, Mr. Watts (Hugh Laurie), the only white man left on the island after a blockade, re-opens the local school. He begins reading the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which transfixes a young girl named Matilda (Xzannjah). She finds comfort in the story of a Victorian orphan, Pip (Eka Darville), when her own world is falling apart.
Dolores Naimo (Healesville Joel) is Matilda's mother and is concerned about the western values that Mr Watts is teaching the kids in the school via his books. She is a devout Christian with more conservative values. She wants the kids to be taught the bible and she gets other island women to come in daily & give bible lessons in Mr Watts class. Dolores doesn't like that despite her efforts the entire class and many other island natives love Mr Watts rendering of Great expectations over her dour bible lessons. Matilda felt a real connection with Mr Watts, and felt she could connect with Pip's story. This irritates Dolores no end. Matilda is also angry at Dolores for passing up a chance to move with her father to Australia and to a better life.
The "Redskins", an army sent to destroy the local rebels, are getting closer. Matilda writes "Pip" in the sand. This simple act leads to terrible consequences when the Redskins suspect Pip to be a rebel leader and demand he be brought before them. Mr Watts tries to explain to the commander (David Kaumara) that Pip is merely a character in the book. The commander wants to see the book, but it is not where Mr Watts usually keeps it in the school. In retaliation the army unit burns down half the village possessions and their local church. Later Matilda finds the book hidden by Dolores in their house. In retaliation, the villagers burn everything in Mr Watts house and inside the school. Matilda is furious. As a peace offering Dolores convinces Mr Watts to start teaching at the school again.
Mr Watts tells Matilda that in a few nights a boat is leaving for Solomon Islands and that she and her mother could be on it. However, in their next raid, the army commander shoots Mr Watts and feeds his body to the pigs. He always suspected Mr Watts to be the rebel leader. Dolores speaks up and tells the commander that she saw him and his men kill Mr Watts and that she will be God's witness. Dolores and Matilda are taken away and Dolores begs the commander for Matilda's life. The army men force themselves on Dolores and hack her to death and feed her to the pigs as well.
Eventually Matilda is able to catch the boat to Solomon Islands, and is picked up by an Australian craft and is united with her father Jospeh Naimo (Marcellin Ampa'oi), who is successfully settled in Australia. A few years later a lawyer from Sydney arrives and tells Matilda that Mr Watts had left a bit of property for Matilda, with the other half going to his wife (who lives near London). Matilda travels to meet Mrs Watts in London and returns her property to her & tells her how Mr Watts Taught her everything she knows. Matilda grows to be a fine young woman and returns to Boguanville to teach young kids there.
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