In an era where human rights issues such as gender inequality and climate change are more urgent than ever, short films are emerging as powerful tools for social transformation. At the forefront of this movement, short films can bridge the gap between advocacy and action, showing that even the shortest stories can spark the most significant changes.
Since 2021, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute have been a part of the Minikino Film Week, to jointly highlight short films focusing on human rights issues in the Asia Pacific region. Short films submitted to MFW have the chance to be re-curated and nominated for the RWI Awards. The prizes include a cash award of IDR 10,000,000 for one grand winner. The inclusion of this award in Minikino Film Week 10 provides a platform for discussions on various human rights issues across the Asia Pacific region.
On September 19, 2024, a discussion on human rights issues in film was held at the Puri Ayu Hotel in Denpasar, organized through a collaboration between the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) and Minikino Film Week. The event, titled “Film for Change,” featured screenings of Bolour (2024) and The Swallowing Sea (2023), which was nominated for the Human Rights Film Award at the 2024 Minikino Film Week. The screenings were followed by a discussion with key figures in the human rights and filmmaking space.
The panel discussion, led by RWI Country Director for Indonesia, Windi Arini, featured an impressive lineup of filmmakers and human rights advocates. Iranian-American filmmaker Helia Behrooz, director of Bolour, addressed the issue of Taliban oppression in her work, highlighting women’s and LGBTQ rights as critical human rights concerns. Afif Fahmi, a filmmaker from Semarang, Indonesia, delved into the reality of living alongside natural disasters in The Swallowing Sea. The session was moderated by filmmaker Kiki Febriyanti, who emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving change through film.
The Power of Short Film for Human Rights
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute (RWI) has been using film as a medium to spark conversations around critical human rights issues, including climate change, development, and gender equality. RWI’s acting Country Director for Indonesia, Windi Arini, explained, “We believe in the power of storytelling to connect the dots between academia, policymakers, and filmmakers, creating a collaborative force for social change.”
The event opened with the screening of Bolour and The Swallowing Sea. Helia Behrooz’s Bolour delves into the struggles of women under the Taliban regime, shedding light on the harsh realities faced by women and the LGBTQ+ community. “The film is a call to action, highlighting how human rights issues transcend borders,” Behrooz stated. Her film underscores the importance of creating visibility for marginalized voices in societies facing oppression.
Afif Fahmi’s The Swallowing Sea tells the story of coastal communities in Indonesia who are constantly on the brink of disaster due to rising sea levels. “In Timbulsloko, disaster is not a hypothetical; it’s a reality we live with,” Fahmi explained. His film highlights the urgency of addressing climate change and its direct impact on vulnerable populations.
The discussion also explored how films like Bolour and The Swallowing Sea can create an impact on international platforms. Windi gave examples of films that entered the RWI competition previously being brought as advocacy tools in international forums such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other global human rights events, pushing the boundaries of awareness and advocacy. “Film is a universal language that can transcend cultural and national barriers,” noted Windi Arini during the panel.
Knocking on Doors Until They Open
Both directors expressed their belief in persistence. Despite The Swallowing Sea being funded by the Indonesian government, Afif Fahmi remains critical of environmental issues. “Keep knocking on doors until they break,” Fahmi urged, emphasizing the importance for filmmakers to continue pushing for change, no matter how difficult the journey. The sentiment resonated with the audience, many of whom were filmmakers themselves.
Moderator Kiki Febriyanti pointed out that collaboration is essential for these films to reach their full potential. “Filmmaking, academia, and policy must work together. It’s not just about making a film, but about creating a movement,” she said, encouraging further cooperation between different sectors.
RWI’s involvement in the film space is longstanding. For years, the organization has supported filmmakers who tackle challenging social issues. The Film for Change event at Minikino Film Week is just one of the many initiatives through which RWI continues to bridge the gap between human rights advocacy and cinematic storytelling. “We aim to keep these conversations going, using film as a medium to inspire policy changes and social movements,” Arini concluded.
One of the central themes of the discussion was the intersectionality of human rights. Both Bolour and The Swallowing Sea address issues of gender equality, with Bolour focusing on women under the Taliban regime and The Swallowing Sea touching on how disaster affects gender roles within coastal communities. “Women’s rights are human rights, and we must continue to fight for them,” Behrooz passionately declared.
The short films presented at the event reflected local issues but resonated globally, emphasizing the universality of human rights. “These stories show us that what happens in one part of the world affects us all,” Windi Arini stated, underscoring RWI’s mission to use film as a tool for both local and international advocacy.
The discussion concluded on an optimistic note. Both filmmakers and human rights advocates expressed hope that these collaborations will continue to grow, pushing the boundaries of what film can accomplish in the fight for justice.
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