Hosted by Ubud's political leader Agung Jakarta Sulawesi Mas, William Deneen here visits important sites and describes the political, religious, and economic situation on the island of Bali in the Indonesia of 1959.
Social & External
A film about convicted drug smuggler Myuran Sukumaran, who became an accomplished artist before he was executed by firing squad in Indonesia in April 2015.
The Lamalera village is located in a small volcanic Island, a poor, barren land, and they catch whales to eat. It is the only way for them to survive. The harpooners are called lamafa in the local language. They are the village's pride because they take the whole responsibility for the very dangerous hunting. In 2018. a tragedy struck the village. Benjamin, a young lamafa, was killed during a spear hunting. His father, Ignatius, was devastated, and Benjamin's brother, Demo, was shocked and unable to go hunting. They blame accidents at sea on a victim's family discord in Lamalera. Ignatius, the master boat-builder, decided to build a new traditional whaleboat to reunite the family bond. The whaling boat is 12 meters long, made entirely of hand-crafted wood, not using a single nail, and is considered an intangible cultural asset.
The film focuses on the exciting life journey of Swiss writer Katharina Zimmermann. She follows her husband on a mission to the jungle in Indonesia where she raises their four children and five foster children and lives through the military coup. Back in Switzerland Katharina discovers her voice and finds her path. Now, at eighty, she is writing her life story. Yet suddenly she faces another battle because her publisher is threatening to let her go.
Documentary about war photographer James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever.
Through the eyes of grandmother Rumidjah, a poor old Christian woman living in the slums of Jakarta, we see the economical changing society of Indonesia and the influence of globalization reflected in the life of her juvenile granddaughter Tari and her sons Bakti and Dwi.
A Balinese documentary about the traditional art of kite-making.
A rehabilitation centre in western Kalimantan in Borneo aims to rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned orangutans for release back into the wild.
‘Sharp Objects’ follows the forgotten story of the Klungkung keris back to its origins and to its post-colonial relevance to Bali today, tracing the looting of the keris to modern day tourism in Bali. The film juxtaposes the 'knowledge' of colonial archives against community-based knowledge and mythology, convoluting the understanding of what is preserved, what is dead and what is lost. The artists apply a tangible intervention on the photochemical material they use for the film. This time consuming approach embodies the narrative of the labor intensive iron forging craftmanship of a keris blacksmith.
"Float" is the film version of the Ripcurl Tip 2 Tip Project, a six-month quest on the Infinite Search, stretching from one end of the Indonesian Archipelago to the other aboard the mighty Quest 1. It's a story of adventure and surfing spirit and the surfers who put their lives on hold to chase it by sea. From perfect waves to cabin fever, "Float" lives the surfing dream and takes you everywhere except a final destination. Starring: Dean Brady, Dillon Perillo, and Bruno Santos. Featuring: Mick Fanning, Owen Wright, Matt Wilkinson, Taylor Knox, and others on The Search. A Film by Andrew "Shorty" Buckley.
With stunning views of eruptions and lava flows, Werner Herzog captures the raw power of volcanoes and their ties to indigenous spiritual practices.
The western half of the island of New Guinea has been known by many names including Netherlands New Guinea, West Papua, Irian Jaya and Papua. It is an extraordinary place where snow-capped mountains drain into massive rivers and 250 languages are spoken. For centuries, the world has jostled for control of this rugged, isolated region, with its abundant natural resources and strategic position. Through eyewitness accounts and rare archival film, this fascinating documentary paints a picture that is intimate in detail but epic in scope. It is a sweeping saga of colonial ambitions, cold war sellouts and fervent nationalism, which highlights the role of players such as Australia and the UN at crucial points.
Dorjee Sun, a young Australian Entrepreneur, believes there's money to be made from protecting rainforests in Indonesia, saving the orangutan from extinction and making a real impact on climate change. Armed with a laptop and a backpack, he sets out across the globe to find investors in his carbon trading scheme. It is a battle against time. Achmadi, the palm oil farmer is ready to set fire to his land to plant more palm oil, and Lone's orangutan centre has reached crisis point with over 600 orangutans rescued from the fires. The Burning Season is an eco-thriller about a young man not afraid to confront the biggest challenge of our time.
A short documentary about an elderly couple who grew old together in a house. In their old age, they recount important moments in their lives, such as the first time they met.
Some Madurese choose to live outside their homeland, migrating to build a better life. Surabaya has become one of the destination cities for the Madurese people. They work hard, pursuing various professions. some of them are owning a scrap metal business.
There is an island where dragons still roam. A Jurassic type underworld where ancient warlords still rule. Where they fight for supremacy...where they fight to survive. Komodo Island - deep in the remote basin of the Pacific Ocean - its an ancient Kingdom of fire and brimstone. Here, a string of 452 volcanoes erupt from the ocean bed, its known as "The Ring of Fire" and it's the perfect habitat for dragons. Komodo Dragons! The largest living lizard on the planet with 34 million years of survival in his DNA. Its no surprise that he's still known as a dragon, he has the presence of an ancient gladiator. He's armored in claws and scales, but instead of spitting fire, he spits deadly venom.
Indonesian noise, the largest scene of extreme and independent music scene is the biggest in South-East Asia. This documentary gives an extensive overview with numerous bands, artists and speakers, all from Jakarta, Bandung, Bekasi, Yogyakarta, and Tokyo, who freely talk about their own definitions and approaches to noise music.
In this chilling and groundbreaking documentary, former Indonesian death squad leaders reenact their real-life mass killings in the style of various film genres. As they recreate their past atrocities, the line between reality and performance blurs, exposing the lingering impact of Indonesia's 1965-66 anti-communist purge and the unsettling psychology of its perpetrators.
Bejeweled Fishes captures the spectacular beauty of the myriad fishes inhabiting coral reefs of the Tropical and Eastern Pacific. This Wild Window was captured in the Maldives Islands, Fiji, the Philippines, Mexico, California, and Indonesia.
Filmed secretly in Sydney by Dutch documentarian Joris Ivens, this short records the solidarity of Indonesian seamen, Australian trade unionists, and local activists who refused to support Dutch efforts to restore colonial rule after World War II. More than a chronicle, it was an act of protest that aligned cinema with the Indonesian independence movement.