The Papuan government should be proud that this year, young Papuan activists can hold Papuan Film Festival) without fail for three consecutive years. From August 6–9 this year, the event will be conducted at the Moi tribe indigenous center, the KEIK LMA Malamoi building or the institution of tribal society (LMA) Malamoi. PFF is getting a lot of support from local tribes, lending their cultural centre to the Papuan Voices (PV) network for PFF III. Their involvement in the preparation is quite active, since the greater Sorong area falls under the indigenous territory of the Malamoi tribe (sometimes shortened to “Moi tribe”).

The aim of the event, as stated by PV Coordinator Bernard Koten and FFP III Deputy Committee Head Max Binur, is to enable young Papuans to have a platform for exchanging not only films but also ideas, a way to show and present their creations: from Papuans to Papuans. Because of Papua’s size, many people from its different corners are unaware of the challenges and problems faced by fellow Papuans in other places.
PFF III will also show non-fiction from outside Papua: from neighbouring countries, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. The selection is intended to inspire and initiate knowledge sharing.

Seventeen documentary films have been submitted to the competition, which closed on July 20. This year, the theme is Papuan Women, Guards of Papuan Land (“Perempuan Penjaga Tanah Papua”). From the submissions, ten films will be selected by the committee, which will announce winners during the closing event on the night of August 9. The judges involved in the selection committee include Wensislaus Fatubun, Arul Prakkash, Lisabona Rahman, and Melania Kirihio.

“A woman in a kampung in Papua gets layer upon layer of heavy burdens because she is a woman and because her family is poor,” stated PFF 2019 event coordinator and Papuan Voices Member Agus Kalalu, as quoted by jubi.co.id.

It was in 2017 when the festival was created by the PV Network after doing video production for six years. Since 2011, Papuan Voices has trained more than 80 film-makers in Merauke, Jayapura, Wamena, Keerom, and Sorong.

Until 2019 more than 100 films and two selected compilations were produced. Aside from events in cities and villages in Papua, Papuan Voices has screened in more than 50 festivals, universities, cultural offices, and art houses, including Malaysia’s Freedom Film Festival, Australia’s Parliament House, and Harvard University. One of its notable awards was for the film Love Letter to the Soldier.

Below are more information in mainstream media about PFF 2019

• https://seleb.tempo.co/read/1229574/17-film-dokumenter-ffp-iii-rangkum-ragam-isu-papua
• https://www.jubi.co.id/belasan-film-dokumenter-siap-ramaikan-kompetisi-ffp-iii/
• https://sorongraya.co/metro/papuan-voices-siap-gelar-ffp-iii-di-kota-sorong/
• https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/07/29/seventeen-documentaries-on-papuan-issues-submitted-to-annual-film-festival.html

Yerry Borang is EngageMedia’s engagement and learning specialist. You may follow his writing and other posts on digital rights and video for change by subscribing to our mailing list.

This October, journalists, filmmakers, human rights advocates, and technologists from across Asia will gather in the Philippines for Coconet II, a digital rights camp. Applications close August 11, 2019 – apply now!