Bali Indigenous Film Festival

An extraordinary event took place in Ubud, Bali, in January 2018 that honoured the work of indigenous documentary filmmakers. The two day event was attended by Indonesian locals, international guests, filmmakers and patrons. The inaugural Indigenous Film Festival Bali launched at Paradiso Theatre, Ubud, to a sell-out crowd on the opening night.  A beautiful documentary drama, Long Saan, was screened. It is a true story about a Dayak man from Kalimantan who returns to his homeland with director Erick Est.  This was followed by filmmaker Surya Shankar Dash, who has dedicated 16 years of his life to documentary filmmaking. Surya from Odisha, India, presented three of his short films on the plight of his people to protect their land from commercial interests. He brought with him Dinja Jakesika, an Odisha tribal Dongria Kondh woman who was the first person in her village to ever get a passport. She was the tribal leader of her village and stood up to the land grabbers, proving that this film festival went to extraordinary lengths to present and challenge the thinking of the audience.

Over the two-day festival period,  36 films were screened to a packed-out audience.  There were 12 directors present, and a host of lively Q & A sessions delved into the social issues and brought awareness of the struggles of indigenous people in Indonesia and around the world into the light.  From Peru to Standing Rock, from the Pilbara in Western Australia to the wilds of Borneo, this festival inspired, educated and showcased the works of some of the leading documentary filmmakers.

In partnership with “Handcrafted Films”, “If Not Us Then Who”, and “INFIS”, the first-ever International Bali Indigenous Film Festival was a huge success. The films communicated the wisdom and knowledge of the First Nations people and also brought together producers and directors to share their projects and provide an opportunity for them to learn from each other.

Organisers:  Ranu Welum Foundation
www.ranuwelum.org
Sponsor:    Taksu Photo Gallery, Ubud, Bali

Facebook:  Bali Indigenous Film Festival

 

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