Film screening: Strange Birds in Paradise—A West Papua Story

Tuesday, 27 September 2011, 11:11 am
Press Release: Pacific Media Centre

A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY: While the Indonesian army continues to dominate the indigenous inhabitants of West Papua, three friends gather in Melbourne to record outlawed folk songs with renowned Australian rock musicologist David Bridie – Donny a recent exile to Australia, Jacob a former child soldier in the West Papuan Resistance Movement and Charlie Hill-Smith an Australian filmmaker who has formed close friendships with Melanesian and Javanese families he met as an exchange student.

Afloat in an extraordinary musical tradition from the West Papuan Highlands, hearing stories of escape, oppression and exile from Jacob and Donny, listening to the defiant songs of murdered musician and independence hero Arnold Ap, Charlie confronts a basic question: how could these two vibrant cultures be at war and how can the rest of the world seemingly not care?

This film is his search for an answer.

This is a joint event organised by Amnesty International, the Indonesia Human Rights Committee and the AUT Pacific Media Centre. Join us in the Academy foyer for nibbles and drinks from 6pm onwards.

Pacific Media Centre Seminar/Film Series
Tickets: $20 (including nibbles/drinks) available online at Eventfinder
$10 Student/Unwaged available at PMC 10th floor, AUT Tower, 2 Rutland St

More information on the PMC website: www.pmc.aut.ac.nz>> Events

ENDS

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