Forgotten Bird of Paradise

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Forgotten Bird of Paradise
FBOP film cover.jpg
Directed byDominic Brown
Produced byDancing Turtle Films
Release date
Running time
27 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Forgotten Bird of Paradise is a 2009 documentary film directed by British filmmaker Dominic Brown, about the struggle for independence being fought in the Indonesian region of West Papua. [1] The film was shot undercover, and includes interviews with human rights victims and political prisoners, as well as footage of separatist guerrillas at their jungle stronghold.

Contents

Production

Brown travelled and filmed in West Papua without the permission of the Indonesian authorities, putting himself in great danger. [2] Brown reflected that on West Papua the situation was "like apartheid", and likened the transmigration program and anti-secession policies to "genocide". [3]

Content

The documentary features an interview conducted with Yusak Pakage, a high-profile West Papuan political prisoner recognised by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience. He is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence for raising the West Papuan flag during a ceremony in 2004. The interview was recorded in secret by Brown during a hospital visit where Pakage was receiving treatment for torture.

There is also footage from a National Liberation Army (TPN) camp led by one of the armed resistance leaders, General Goliath Tabuni. In addition, the documentary provides viewers with an insight into recent developments on the international arena towards West Papuan self-determination, including the launch of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua.

Film and television

Home media

Awards

See also

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References

  1. "Outline of film". FBOP. 9 October 2009. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  2. "Fly Global film review". Fly Global Music. 30 September 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2009.
  3. Daily Telegraph interview
  4. BBC Newsnight report http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/7941787.stm
  5. Channel 4 report http://www.channel4.com/news/probe-launched-into-west-papua-torture-video
  6. Raindance Film Festival DVD release http://www.raindance.org/site/best-of-17th-raindance-film-festival-shorts-DVD Archived 8 September 2012 at archive.today