Handlung

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

Copper has been used for 10,000 years in production of tools, weapons and jewelry. Today 150 million tons of copper is consumed annually.

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. The Army cut off the supplies to the Island and closed down the schools. . 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. Mr Watts stayed because his wife Grace would never leave the Island again. In a village of natives, Mr Watts would dress up in a full suit, dress his wife in an evening gown and would come out of his house for a stroll. He was called Pop-Eye. Since it is the only open school, it attracts children from all over the island. Mr Watts knew that he was taking a great risk by opening the school. The classroom is little more than a bamboo shack with a basic blackboard.

Mr Watts 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. At first, the kids believe that Dickens is another white man living on the island, but soon realize that he is the author of the book that Watts is reading from. Matilda's father used to work at the mine but left for Australia when all the trouble started.

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. Dolores also organizes the villagers against the PNG government and says that their land has enough bounty to sustain them despite the blockage by the army. Dolores also strictly wants Matilda to speak English, to prepare her for a life in the new world. Matilda knows that until the blockade continues, there will be no more boats for her to travel to Australia.

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 wrapped up in a mat at home, and realized her disapproving mother, Dolores, hid it there. She is resentful and angry, even more so when Dolores and the other women burn all of Mr Watts' furniture too, along with the book, which Matilda placed in Mr Watts' desk drawer. Matilda is furious. As a peace offering Dolores convinces Mr Watts to start teaching at the school again.

Mr Watts' wife Grace dies, and the women of the village realize they must stand through this together. Dolores and Matilda make up, and it seems all is well 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.

After the Redskins have gone, the women and children mourn their friends' deaths. Matilda nearly drowns after she is pulled under by a strong current in the river, but is saved by some of the men and women in a boat. 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, she is told Mr Watts left a will, and left most of his possessions for Matilda, including a flat which is occupied by his ex-wife. Matilda visits the flat in London and meets Mrs Watts (His mother), but decides to let her keep the flat after she finds the writing on the walls which Mr Watts told his class about. Mathilda also visits the Charles Dickens gallery to visualize the stories that Mr Watts used to narrate.

Matilda visits the Charles Dickens Museum and reconciles with her imaginary version of Pip, and cries, letting out all her emotion about the previous events. She later returns to the now peaceful island with her father and becomes a teacher.