South and South East Asia and Oceania Studies Videotapes in the Media Resources Center, UC Berkeley

Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma

Indonesia / Java / Borneo / East Timor

Australia/Melanesia

Malaysia

Philippines

Pacific Islands

South Asia

(Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tibet, Nepal, Sri Lanka)

South Asian Diaspora

Asian American Studies

South and East Asian cinema (for films by South/Southeast Asian filmmakers)

The Movies, Race, and Ethnicity (for a listing of movies with South/Southeast Asian diaspora themes)

General Movies listing (for American and European films set in South/Southeast Asia)

Sixties (for documentaries and movies on the Vietnamese War)

South Asian Women (SAWNET) Movie Page

University of Wisconsin South/Southeast Asia Video Archive

South Asian Videos, University of Virginia Library

The Affects of War: The Indochina Refugee Experience

A brief historical overview of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam and the transitional stages common to the refugee exeperience. 1989. 58 min. Video/C 1851

Asia: Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam (Our Developing World, Regional Political Geography)

Progress versus culture, preserving archaeological sites, and rebuilding war-torn nations are featured in this program. A Frenchman and a Laotian are working together to improve the lives of local farmers in Laos by incorporating the farmers' opinions and cultural concerns. In Cambodia, efforts by the UN to preserve Angkor Wat, the famous temple in Angkor, are detailed. In Vietnam, an American is helping to rebuild infrastructures and generally improve the lives of the people of Dai Loc. 1996. 28 min. Video/C 5654

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:

Vietnam, Cambodia (Video/C 3519); Thailand, Burma (Video/C 3520); Malaysia, Philippines (Video/C 3521); Indonesia (Video/C 3522-3523). For complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance. 1990. 49 min. ea.

Sisters and Daughters Betrayed: The Trafficking of Women and Girls and the Fight to End It

A report on the practice in Southeast Asia of illegally transporting millions of women and young girls from rural to urban areas and across national borders for the purposes of prostitution. This compelling video explores the social and economic forces that drive this lucrative underground trade, and the devastating impact it has on women's lives. A hopeful note is sounded by the actions of women's organizations working against sex trafficking in their native countries. 1995. 20 min. Video/C 5521

Southeast Asia: Between the Giants (Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 25-26)

Program 25. Mainland Southeast Asia: Laos, isolated heart. Vietnam, fertile dreams.-- Program 26. Maritime Southeast Asia: Indonesia, tourist invasion. Multi-cultural Malaysia.

A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Laos, Isolated Heart examines the prospects for development in isolated Laos particularly through the "Friendship Bridge". Vietnam, Fertile Dreams looks at rice production in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Indonesia, Tourist Invasion explores the growing importance of tourism in Indonesia. Multi-cultural Malaysia analyzes Malaysia's different ethnic groups and efforts for mutual acceptance. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4324

Stop the Traffic.

Thirty years of war have left Cambodia ravaged and poverty-stricken, making it particularly vulnerable to the child labor industry. Children as young as 10 years old are trafficked into cities from rural areas to become sex workers or trafficked out to Thailand to work as beggars, domestic laborers, or laborers on construction sites. This program examines the trade and new efforts by the International Labor Organization and local groups to rescue the children and stop the traffic. 2001. 30 min. Video/C 8946

Bullfrog Films catalog description

Tsunami: Wave of Destruction

This documentary examines the chain of events of December 26, 2004 that led to the devastating destruction in South Asia from an oceanic earthquake and tsunami and explores the impact of relief efforts in the region. It also looks at the science of tsunamis and examines other catastrophic natural disasters. ABC News, 2005. 124 min. DVD 4068

A Voice of Her Own: Women and Economic Change in Asia.

Profiles the challenges and changes for women in Asia. Examines educational efforts and literacy programs in Cambodia, home employment opportunities created by women in the Philippines, and help for female garment workers in Bangladesh. 1997. 25 min. Video/C MM126

To the top of the section

Vietnam Peace & Conflict Studies videography - for a complete listing of documentaries on the war in Vietnam.

Ao Dai (The Tunic Dress)

This film considers the visibility of ao dai, the traditional Vietnamese tunic dress, as a gauge of Vietnam's prosperity. 1991. 13 min. Video/C 3045

Description from First Run /Icarus catalog

As the Mirror Burns

Documentary which investigates the heavy involvement of Vietnamese women as guerillas and soldiers in the Vietnamese war. f ca vidoe/c 1990. 58 min. Video/C 3410

Burning Incense (Parfum d'encens).

Chronicles art and spiritual life in contemporary Vietnam, with footage of landscapes, Buddhist pagodas, altars to ancestors, and paintings from the National Museum of Art in Hanoi. Presents themes and symbols in daily life and a look at artists in their studios. 1994. 23 min. Video/C 6106

Dai Hoi Thong Nhat Phat Giao Viet Nam Tai Hoa Ky

Proceedings of a Vietnamese American Buddhist conference held in San Jose, California, including the opening and closing religious ceremonies. In Vietnamese. 1992. 300 min. Video/C 4109

A Dream in Hanoi

Vietnamese and American artists join forces to stage Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in Hanoi. On their journey toward opening night, this spirited film follows them behind the scenes as they wrestle with the obstacles of language, culture, ideology, and a history of war. 2002. 91 min. Video/C 9834

From Hollywood to Hanoi

Tiana (Tiana Thi Thanh Nga) was born in Saigon, Vietnam, where her father was Minister of Information for South Vietnam. In 1966 he moved his family to the U.S. and told Tiana she would never see Vietnam again. Against the wishes of many of her family, she did go back. This video is an account of her journey home and what she discovered in Vietnam. 1994. 80 min. Video/C 4200

Canby, Vincent. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." (movie reviews) Migration World Magazine v21, n5 (Nov-Dec, 1993):42.

Elley, Derek. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." (movie reviews) Variety v349, n5 (Nov 23, 1992):51.

Fairclough, Gordon. "Home Movies: Vietnamese-American Film Maker Proves You Can Go Home Again. (profile of Tiana Alexandra). Far Eastern Economic Review v157, n36 (Sept 8, 1994):78.

Feng, Peter. "Lost in the Media Jungle: Tiana Thi Thanh Nga's Hollywood Mimicry." Amerasia Journal v23, n2 (Fall, 1997):81 (6 pages).

Gitta, Reddy. "From Hollywood to Hanoi" (review and interview with Tiana Thi Thahn Nga ) Cineaste v20, n3 (Summer, 1993); v20, n3 (Summer, 1993):46

RaySircar, Pritha. "From Hollywood to Hanoi." Sojourner, vol. 18 no. 5. 1993 Jan. pp: 30-31.

[Hartwick, Douglas A.] The Public Town Hall Meeting with Ambassador Douglas A. Hartwick, United States' Ambassador to Laos, January 25, 2003

Town hall meeting with the American ambassador to Laos and Laotian community leaders held in Richmond, California to investigate issues centering around American foreign policy and relations between the United States and Laos. 2003. DVD 1615

How to Behave: A Story About Kindness

Prompted by a dying friend who urges them to lead a life of kindness, the filmmakers go on an odyssey looking for kindness or charity in Vietnam where the rich and powerful are few and those in poverty and suffering are many. They explore the realities behind the nationalistic slogans to reveal troubing scenes of Vietnamese life in a society which seems no longer able to define humanitarianism -- or greed for that matter. Originally produced in 1987. Video/C MM934

In the Year of the Pig.

With palpable outrage, Emile de Antonio assembles period interviews with journalists, politicians, and key military personnel and international newsreel and archival footage to create a scathing chronicle of America's escalating involvement in the Vietnam War. The savage and horrific images speak for themselves in perhaps the most controversial film of de Antonio's career. 105 min. DVD 4431; vhs Video/C 1052

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:

Vietnam, Cambodia. 49 min. Video/C 3519. For a complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance.

Kliou, The Killer

Documentary film of a killer tiger, manacing a village in Indo-China (now Vietnam) and the young brave who hunts and kills it. Presents the earliest known footage of Indo-China in film history. Director, Hendry de la Falaise, 1937. 50 min. DVD 3596

Le Tan Phong Cac Hoi Dong Giao Hoi va le Suy Ton Hoa Thuong Tai P.H.V.Q.T.

Proceedings of a meeting of Vietnamese American buddhists. In Vietnamese. 1992. 112 min. Video/C 4108

Mat Thuong Nhin Cuoc Doi

Cultural celebration of Vietnamese dance and music,accompanying a Vietnamese American Buddhist conference held in San Jose, California. In Vietnamese. 1992. 162 min. Video/C 4110

Moving Mountains: The Story of the Yiu

Focuses on the Yiu Mien people of Laos and the problems they face adjusting to life in the United States after the Vietnam War. 1989. 58 min. Video/C 2256

View this video online (via folkstreams.net)

My Hanoi

Hanoi is one of the new global cities of the 21st century. Growing urbanization has led to a boom in construction, while market reform and globalization have caused an influx of Western consumer goods. This program tells the story of Tran Thuy Linh, whose family has lived in the flower village area of Hanoi for generations but must now move. Thuy describes the extended family she grew up with and looks at their lives against the changing city. 2001. 30 min. Video/C 8947

New Bosses

Looks at three successful entrepreneurs in Vietnam, and presents their hopes for and fears of the government supported entrepreneurship which may be the foundation of Vietnam's future as it rebuilds. 1991. 13 min. Video/C 3057

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Nine Dragons in Vietnam (Mekong, A Turbulent River. 4, The Mekong in Vietnam)

Fourth and final segment in a series of programs exploring the lifestyles of the people who live near the Mekong's banks. This program looks at Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, with its islands, canals and mangrove swamps. Village entrepreneurs working in the fishery, rice, rural traveling theater and passenger boat business recount their difficulties during and after the Vietnam War and their successes since the shift to a market economy. In addition, the use of pesticides is threatening the water quality of the Mekong and deforestation of the mangrove swamps endangers the Delta's ecosystem.1996. 52 min. Video/C 7344

Rising Above: Women of Vietnam (Woman's Place)

A survey of the social and economic progress made by women in Vietnam since, and before, the end of the Vietnamese Conflict in 1975, including sequences showing the participation of women in the Vietnamese Conflict. 1995. 50 min. Video/C 4596

Tiger's Apprentice.

A Vietnamese American filmmaker journey's to her native Vietnam to observe and document her great-uncle's folk medicine practices. During her visit, Nguyen observes him treating many patients and making his medicines for tumors, leprosy, and infections. She also talks to his patients, to local doctors and herbalists, and battles Vietnamese government censors who are fearful her footage might make Vietnam appear backward to the Western world. In English and Vietnamese with English subtitles. 1998. 57 min. Video/C 6850

Surname Viet, Given Name Nam

English and Vietnamese or Vietnamese with English subtitles. A film by Trinh T. Minha-ha. Interviews in Vietnam by Mai Thu Van, excerpted and translated from her book, Vietnam, Un Peuple Des Voix. 1989. 108 min. DVD 8991; vhs Video/C 2322

Books and articles by and about Trinh T. Minh-ha

Vietnamese Americans: The Fall of Saigon (Vietnamese Americans, 1)

As communism tightened its grip on what was once South Vietnam, a stream of refugees poured into America. This program presents interviews with Vietnamese Americans and archival footage to reveal the fortitude of the Vietnamese who faced great hardships in their escape to the U.S. following the fall of Saigon. In addition, South Vietnamese and American veterans give their firsthand views on the Vietnam War, exploring the factors that led to the elimination of U.S. military and financial support and polarization of public opinion both in the U.S. and Vietnam. c2001. 37 min. Video/C 7967

Vietnamese Americans: The New Generation (Vietnamese Americans, 2)

Through candid interviews with first- and second-generation Vietnamese Americans, this program documents the process of assimilation into American culture of refugees from the former Republic of Vietnam. Topics includes stresses on the family unit caused by cultural and generational differences, gang membership and drug abuse among the young, anti-Vietnamese racial bias, and feelings about relations between the U.S. and Vietnam. c2001. 33 min. Video/C 7968

Vietnam Today, Open for Business.

The present Vietnamese Communist government is moving the country away from a failed centralized command economy into one driven by the forces of the open market. This program features interviews with top Vietnamese officials responsible for guiding the country out of poverty and into the 21st century. Among the issues discussed are laws affecting foreign investors, wise land use policies, privatization of industry, foreign investments, planned improvements in the infrastructure, and opportunities and pitfalls for businesses in a rapidly changing economy. 1995. 51 min. Video/C 4647

Which Way is East.

The film documents travels from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi by filmmaker, Lynne Sachs and her sister, Dana, a journalist living in Vietnam. They specifically search for evidence of war's impact on landscape and lives. Parables, history and memories of Vietnamese people are combined with the filmmaker's own childhood memories of The Vietnam Conflict and television coverage of the conflict. Filmed and recorded in Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Tay Ninh, Nha Trang, Da Nang, My Lai, Hue, and Ha Noi. A film by Lynne Sachs. 1994 . 33 min. DVD 6402

Wiatnam

Film describes life and customs of the Vietnamese and a group of minorities, Black Tai. It also includes the history of Vietnam. In Thai. PAL format. 1990. 148 min. Video/C 4096

Xich-Lo (Cyclo)

A film by M. Trinh Nguyen. A documentary film about a Vietnamese American woman who visits her family in Vietnam and discusses her feelings regarding her bicultural identity and her perspectives on the Vietnam war and its devastating effects on her family. 1995 20 min. Video/C 6088

See also the films under the above heading, General.

To the top of the section

Laos

The Hmong: Hilltribe People of Laos

Portrait of the daily life, culture and spiritual beliefs of the Hmong hilltribe people living in the Loei (Ban Vinai) refugee camp in Thailand after fleeing persecution in Laos. 1989. 58 min. Video/C 1883

Laos (Asia in Transition)

Impoverished, sparsely populated, and still recovering from the Vietnam War, Laos exists on the edge of the abyss. This program considers the cultural and economic impact on Laotians and Hmong alike of initiatives designed to improve the country, such as the new highway being built by Swedish engineers. Although the regime's "reeducation camps" show no signs of being closed and antigovernment rebels continue to make travel dangerous, foreign tourism is being courted for the currency it can bring, while the country's rich spiritual life--expressed through the practices of Buddhism and animism--serenely continues. 1999. 47 min. Video/C 8563

Laos and Thailand(Mekong, A Turbulent River. 2, The Mekong in Laos and Thailand)

Second in a series of programs exploring the lifestyles of the people who live near the Mekong's banks. This program looks at impoverished Laos and prosperous Thailand, as Laotians and Thais discuss life along its banks. Common concerns include navigating the river, environmental conservation, economic reforms and local economies based on fishing, agriculture, logging and hydroelectric energy. Buddhist monasteries, the blessing of houses, and traditional medicine provide gimpses of daily life. 1996. 52 min. Video/C 7342

Memories of Gold, Memories of Silk (Memoire dor, memoire de soie)

Prince Nithakhong Somsanith of Laos was initiated early in his childhood to the arts of the royal court, notably the art of gold thread embroidery. Today he commutes between France and Luang Prabang where he continues this creative duty that ties him to the land of his ancestors. This documentary follows the artist in his work as he presents ancient techniques and the symbolic meanings underlying one of the Laotian court's crowning ornaments. 2003. 50 min. DVD 2430

To the top of the section

Cambodia

Among the Disappeared

As a young child, Kodaim Ear survived the suffering the Khmer Rouge inflicted on Cambodia. He was saved by his cunning grandfather who enabled some family members to survive the rigors of forced labor and to escape to safe haven in Canada. Now thirty and recently married, Kodaim resolves to revisit the land of his childhood, to re-trace his terrifying journey to freedom, putting the images of terror to rest. Along with Kodaim's personal story, this documentary traces the history of Cambodia from the reign of King Sihanouk, to his overthrow by Lon Nol, who was then toppled by the insurgent Khmer Rouge and the country spiraled downward into mayhem and genocide. c2002. 44 min. Video/C MM920

Description from Filmakers Library catalog

The Angry Skies: A Cambodian Journey

Dr. Blake Kerr investigates the genocide of the Cambodian people by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge government of Cambodia from 1975-1979. He interviews both survivors of the torture and Khmer Rouge soldiers and officials. Director and photographer, Alan Scott-Moncrieff. 2004. 58 min. DVD 4471

Cambodia

Part 1 traces the history of Cambodia, focusing on the rule of Nordom Sihanouk, his overthrow in 1970, and the chaos following his fall from power. (78 min.) Part 2 continues the history through the Pol Pot years, the Vietnamese takeover, and up to the present. 1988. (58 min.) Video/C 1477:1-2

Cambodia in the 1990's: The Role of Buddhism in Khmer Society

A report on the conference organized by Khmer conscience at the University of California, Berkeley on June 2-3, 1990 about the role of Buddhism in Khmer Society. Monks from Cambodia, the refugee camps, Thailand and the United States participated in the discussion on the future of Buddhism in Cambodia after the war. 1990. 492 min. Video/C 9388

Cambodia: Life in Phnom Phen in 1990; Inside the Liberated Zone in 1990 ; Cambodia from the 1960's to 1975

Contains primarily unedited footage of street scenes of Cambodia filmed in December 1990 and of the liberated zone in September 1990. Concludes with a report in English on Cambodian history from the 1960s to 1975. 124 min. Video/C 9390

Cambodia, the Betrayal

Discusses the reign of terror by Cambodian Communists Pol Pot, during whose time the Khmer Rouge annihilated and tortured the Cambodian people. This film exposes the hypocrisy of the Western nations which continued to support Pol Pot, despite the atrocities of his regime. Not only was Pol Pot allowed to occupy Cambodia's seat in the United Nations, but the United States, Germany, England and Sweden had been secretly selling them weapons to use in their civil war. The resilient Cambodians have made significant strides to rebuild their society but also fear the possible return of the Khmer Rouge in their country. [1993?] 51 min. Video/C 8433

Cambodia's Children: Investing in Their Future

Cambodia had to start from scratch after two decades of war and devastation. In the education sector the problems were immense: an acute shortage of teachers since many had been killed under the Khmer Rouge regime, inadequate classrooms, an antiquated curriculum and a dearth of teaching materials. With the help of the international community, Cambodia is rebuilding from the bottom up, targeting the primary school sector in an effort to increase literacy and reduce the drop-out rate. 1996. 11 min. Video/C MM123

Cambodia's Killing Field

This program scrutinizes U.S. violence against technically neutral Cambodia during the Vietnam War, attacks carried out in an effort to deny a haven for communist forces. The decade of upheaval that followed what has been called the low point in American diplomacy, is also addressed as an allegedly U.S.-backed coup drove Norodom Sihanouk into the arms of China and opened the door to the ruthless Khmer Rouge. Commentary by Emory "Coby" Swank and Noel Deschamps, former U.S. and Australian ambassadors to Cambodia; David Whipple, CIA station head in Cambodia; Lao Mong Hay, of the Khmer Institute of Democracy; and historian Stephen Heder is featured. 2003. 56 min. DVD 2028

Casino Cambodia

A personal perspective on the history and social conditions of Cambodia as seen through the eyes of a Thai woman who once worked in a Cambodian refugee camp. Program includes interviews with tourists concerning their impressions of Cambodia, interviews with physicians who were relief workers during the Cambodian conflicts, interviews with Cambodian citizens, soldiers and the actor, Haing Ngor, who played in the movie, The Killing Fields. Follows a team of French de-miners through a minefield and examines the atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge during the Pol Pot regime and looks at the root causes of war and the obstructions to peace in the area. 1995. 105 min. Video/C 4061

Children for Sale: Dateline with Stone Phillips; NBC News.

Presents an undercover investigation with hidden cameras, of the illegal sex industry that victimizes Cambodian children, and efforts to stop it. Also investigates the activities of American sex tourists who travel to Cambodia to exploit the hundreds of thousands of girls and boys who have been bought, sold or kidnapped and then forced to have sex. In interviews these "tourists" claim they're involved in nothing more than prostitution, but by any definition it is rape. A segment from the January 23, 2003 NBC News television program, Dateline NBC. 2004. 43 min. Video/C MM75

Concepts of Democracy and the Future of Cambodia

Coverage of a discussion organized by Khmer conscience on March 23, 1991 at the University of San Francisco, School of Law concerning the future of Cambodia as a democracy. 244 min. Video/C 4061

Current Events in Cambodia

Live coverage of testimony before a subcommittee of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee examining the social and political situation in Cambodia in 1988. 122 min. Video/C 9391

Dancing Through Death: The Monkey, Magic & Madness

This documentary examines the importance of dance and music in Cambodian culture, as demonstrated by the lives of Cambodian classical dancers both in Cambodia and the United States. The dancers speak movingly of their suffering during the regime of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, their accounts illustrated by archival footage and photographs. Dancers and scholars in both countries describe their work in reviving classical dance and rebuilding its written records. Cambodian immigrants in American communities talk about their efforts to keep Cambodian dance and music alive in order to maintain their cultural identity in their adopted country. c1999. 56 min. Video/C 8430

Enigmas of Angkor: What Should We Preserve?

An architect and member of JSA (Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor) comments on the meaning of the symbols and architecture of Angkor Wat and efforts to safeguard and restore the historic site. [2002]. 22 min. Video/C 9308

Fear & Hope in Cambodia

Cliff-hanger -- these words amply describe the Cambodianelections, for with every success, there was asetback. The world's media followed the electionsclosely and time and again declared it a failure onlyto find it back on track. This documentary chroniclesthe story of Cambodia's political struggles as told byordinary Cambodians, international military, and volunteers from the signing of the 1975 ParisPeace Agreement to the elections and the signing of anew constitution. 1993. 59 min. Video/C 8495

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

La femme Khmere a l'ere du Sangkum Reastr Niyum; Tourisme au Royaume du Cambodge (annees 1960)

Two documentaries produced in Cambodia in the 1960's. The first concerns Khmer women during the era of Sangkum reastr Niyum and the second tourism in Cambodia.1994. DVD 9208 (NTSC); Video/C 9486(PAL)

The Flute Player

Documentary about the life and work of Cambodian genocide survivor, Arn Chorn-Pond. Shows his attempts to bring Cambodia's once outlawed traditional music back to the Cambodian people. Also features members of the Cambodian Master Performers Program. 2003. 53 min. DVD 2501

Fragile Hopes from the Killing Fields

Four survivors reveal incredible stories of rebuilding their lives after Cambodia's genocide- a painter, a writer, a landmine remover and a California refugee. Despite living with the long-term effects of war, they struggle to educate the next generation about the horrors of the past. Produced and directed by Tiara Delgado. 2004. 30 min. DVD 6871 Note: Trans. from SSE

Great Water in Cambodia(Mekong, A Turbulent River. 3, The Mekong in Cambodia)

Third in a series of programs exploring the lifestylesof the people who live near the Mekong's banks. Thisprogram looks at Cambodia and its tidewater basin, theTonle Sap. This is a country trampled by war and stilldealing with bandits and land mines. However, freeelections, renewed veneration of Buddhist monks and aresurgence of traditional celebrations are helping tostabilize Cambodia. Here a river pilot, a citysurveyor, artisans, rice farmers and fishmen describetheir work around the river. 1996. 52 min. Video/C 7343

Hidden Temples: Cambodia's Angkor Wat

The abandoned Khmer temples of Angkor Wat, whicharchaeologists estimate may have supported as many asa million people at one time, have generated manyconflicting theories, particularly about the massiveirrigation system. The work of Dr. Elizabeth Moore of the University of London who teamed up withNASA using imaging radar from space, changes thesetheories and leads to startling new conclusions aboutwhat life must have been like in one of the mostmagnificent cities ever built. 1999. 26 min. Video/C 8855

Holy Smoke.

Developing countries like Cambodiabear the brunt of aggressive marketing techniques byhuge multinational tobacco companies. There are no health warnings on tobacco products inCambodia and no bans on sales to minors. However,since the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, previouslysuppressed religion has asserted itself as aninstrument of change. Buddhist monks are nowspearheading the campaign to persuade Cambodians togive up tobacco. 2001. 30 min. Video/C 8950

Bullfrog Films catalog description

In the Shadow of Angkor Wat

Highlights the ancient ruined city of Angkor and the nearby temple of Angkor Wat. Details the architecture, emphasizing the extensive bas reliefs found on the temple. 1997. 55 min. Video/C 5161

International Symposium on Cambodia, Long Beach,California, February 17-18, 1989

Cassette 1. Cambodia in the 1990's: beyond theVietnamese occupation (211 min.) -- Cassette 2. Adecade of occupation: international implications andthe quest for peace (227 min.) -- Cassette 3. Postwarreconstructions: a political, economic, social agenda; concluding remarks (219 min.) Video/C 9392

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:

Vietnam, Cambodia. 1990. 49 min. Video/C 3519. For a complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance.

Khmer Delegation at the Border, 3/22/87-4/2/87

Unedited footage of a trip to the Cambodian-Thai border made by Cambodian-Americans to visit the refugee camps from March 22 until April 2, 1987. 422 min. Video/C 9393

The Khmer Rouge Rice Fields.

Relates the story of Tang Kim and her struggles to come to terms with what happened to her during the Khmer Rouge regime. Filmed between 2003 and 2004, and based on over 35 interviews in Kanahi and Kampong Chhnang provices, the film reveals part of the history of the Khmer Rouge regime, giving voice to its victims. A film by Rachana Phat. 2004. 30 min. DVD 3633

The Last God-King: the Lives and Times of Cambodia's Sihanouk

A two-part documentary which showcases the life of King Norodom Sihanouk and the pivotal role he has played in Cambodia's struggle for survival. Through interviews with everyday Khmers, academics, critics, princes and rivals, and rare historical footage it presents a balanced profile of both his successes and failures. [1996]. 118 min. Video/C 8432

Nakhon Wat Nakhon Thom

A documentary film concerning the area around Angkor Wat in Cambodia. In Thai. PAL format. 1990. 180 min. Video/C 4097

Never Again?: Genocide Since theHolocaust

After the atrocities of World War II, the cry ofconscience was "never again!" As this program demonstrates, that bitterly learnedinjunction went unheeded throughout much of the world.The chronicle of genocide continues with a look atMao's purges in China, Cambodia under Pol Pot's KhmerRouge, the Arab/Israeli conflict, border wars inPakistan and Bangladesh, and killing in CentralAmerica. 2002. 57 min. Video/C 8744

The Road from Kampuchea: A NobelLaureate's Journey

Tells the story of Tun Channareth, co-recipient of the1997 Nobel Peace Prize. While a Cambodian resistancefighter he was injured by a landmine. He now makescustom wheelchairs and assists other survivors and hasbecome a spokesperson for the anti-landmine campaign.The film also presents the work of Sister DeniseCoghlan, an Australian nun who worked in Thai refugeecamps and helped to launch the international campaignto ban landmines and Chun Sam Onn, a former armyofficer and landmine survivor who has taken uptraditional wood carving. 1998. 44 min. Video/C 8887

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

S-21, the Khmer Rouge Killing Machine

This program chronicles the human rights abuses of the Khmer Rouge after they seized power in Cambodia in 1975. The filmmaker Rithy Panh was 11 years old when his family was murdered by the regime, and he was sent to a labor camp. The singularity of the film lies in a confrontation between the survivors and the jailers, who seem stupefied as they re-live the horror to which they contributed. 2002. 105 min. DVD 4059; also VHS Video/C 9872

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Samsara

Documents the suffering, loss, and rebirth of the Cambodian people in the aftermath of the take over of Camobdia by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge revolutionary forces and the subsequent invasion of Cambdia by Viet Nam. 1989. 28 min. Video/C 1847

The Secrets of S-21: Legacy of a Cambodian Prison

In Phonom Penh stands a school which was a prison during the bloody rule of the Khmer Rouge, where 17,000 men, women and children were incarcerated, and only 4 emerged alive. In this documentary, two American photographers piece together the details of the genocide that took place at S-21 through thousands of photos, interviews with former prison guards and prisoners. 1998. 30 min. Video/C 5360

The Tenth Dancer

Under the brutal Pol Pot regime over 90% of Cambodia's artists were killed, including most of the classical dancers of the Royal Court Ballet. Only one in ten survived. This poignant portrait is the story of the tenth dancer and her relationship with one pupil. Film is an extraordinary tale of survival and a testament to the critical role culture plays in rebuilding society in Cambodia. 1993. Video/C 3346

The Trial of Pol Pot, July 28, 1997

Presents on-site coverage of the trial and sentencing of Pol Pot in the jungle of Cambodia. Video/C 9389

Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia

The first complete report of the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge and the devastating affects of US bombing in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. Year Zero was 1975, the end of the secret US bombing campaign against the Viet Cong that saw 100,000 tons of bombs dropped over Cambodia, and the emergence of the Khmer Rouge party as a ruling force. That year saw the desertion of the capital of Phnom Penh and the displacement of some 2.5 million people, the majority of whom would soon go missing. Pilger explores the roots of the US bombing campaign that began in 1969, contrasting it sharply with powerful footage of sick and starving Cambodians and interviews with relief workers with UNICEF and the Red Cross as well as imprisoned members of Pol Pot's regime. Produced and directed by David Munro; reported by John Pilger; edited by Jonathan Morris. 52 min. DVD 8405

Description from Bullfrog Films catalog

To the top of the section

Thailand

14 Tula: Phrom Bantuk Prawattisat

A documentary film covering the student uprising in Thailand in 1973. In Thai. 1993. 30 min. Video/C 4697

Bangkok Girl

This tragic documentary provides a glimpse into Thailand's notorious and booming sex tourism industry through the experiences of a 19-year-old bar girl named Pla. Working in the bars from the age of thirteen, Pla has managed to avoid selling her body--a remarkable revelation given her surroundings--but her refusal to take part in this all-too-common profession for young Thai women cannot last. The introduction of falangs, or foreigners, to Thailand has forever changed the city, the economy, the Thai people's lives and desires. A daring and unabashed look at a popular Western predilection through the eyes of one girl, this film challenges the accepted worldwide practice of sex tourism. Directed and written by Jordan Clark. Dist: Moving Images Distribution. 2005. 43 min. Video/C 8310

Behind the Smile

Hundreds of thousands of Thai young women leave their rural homes to work in the factories of Bangkok. They are the backbone of Thailand's recent economic success. This film presents the human cost of Thailand's rapid industrialization by examining the living conditions of young female factory workers in Bangkok, who help support their families in the poorer rural areas of the country. c1993. 46 min. Video/C 8310

Buddhism: Making of a Monk

A Documentary examining the lives of novice Buddhist monks in Thailand through interviews and profiles of their daily religious practices and customs, including dressing, begging, worshipping and meditating. 1996. 15 min. Video/C 5653

The Centennial of His Royal Highness Prince Wan Waithayakon Krommun Naradhip Bongsprabandh

An overview of the life and work of the Thai diplomat and scholar, Prince Narathipphongpraphan. In Thai. PAL format. 1991. 18 min. Video/C 4093

The Cost of Living. (Life; 14)

This program examines why AIDS drugs are unaffordable in developing countries, using as examples Thailand and South Africa, two countries who have applied to use compulsory licenses and parallel importing -- practices agreed under World Trade Organization guidelines -- to make their own generic versions of anti-retroviral drugs to halt the AIDS epidemic in their countries. It also asks why anti-retroviral drugs still aren't included in the WTO's essential drugs lists. c2000. 24 min. Video/C 7774

Five Perspectives on Thai Art (Integrative arts of modern Thailand)

Five Thai artists with distinctively different styles share their views of Thai art demonstrating how Thai artists must contend with the conflicting standards of their indigenous artistic traditions and those of an encroaching international culture by selectively synthesizing elements from Thai classical, folk and Euroamerican heritages. Produced by the Office of Media Services, University of California at Berkeley in conjunction with the travelling art exhibition The Integrative art of modern Thailand, October, 1991-May, 1993 organized through the Lowie Museum of Anthropology, University of California at Berkeley. 17 min. Video/C 4511

From Opium to Crysanthemums: Lao Tong and the Hmong People

A documentary of the Hmong people of the "Golden Triangle," in the borderland of Thailand, Laos and Burma, looking at what has happened to them both in Thailand and Laos and in the United States. The filmmaker visits the town of Maetho, high in the Thai Mountains and learns that the Hmong are transitioning from opium farming to the vegetable and flower business. While there he witnesses a village divorce proceeding and a Shaman healing ceremony and in Laos mine sweeping crews diffusing unexploded bombs. He then travels to Sacramento and Minneapolis to see how Hmongs in America are working to preserve essential aspects of their culture. 2000. 75 min. Video/C 7748

The Good Woman of Bangkok

A documentary fiction film written and directed by Dennis O'Rourke. A docu-drama which intimately examines the world of Aoi, a reluctant Thai prostitute who caters for the enthusiastic first world clientele who crowd the girlie bars of Patpong in Thailand. It explores not only the details of her life as a prostitute, but also her innermost thoughts and disillusionment, her reasoning and her future. 1995. 82 min. Video/C 4867

The International Monetary Fund: Financial Cure or Catastrophe?

This program highlights the Asian crisis with particular reference to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, in which the International Monetary Fund's one-size-fits-all policy recommendations and faulty judgment apparently worsened the economies it hoped to assist. Issues such as conflicts of interest, charges of corruption, and political heavy-handedness are prompting the Cato Institute and others to call for an end to the IMF. 1999. 36 min. Video/C 7289

Journey into Thailand: Tales of Gods and Demons

Describes the history of the masked ballet performed by Thai dancers. Explains the dance drama Ramakien. 1982. 27 min. Video/C MM1184

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:

Thailand, Burma. 1988. 49 min. Video/C 3520. For complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance.

Lan Chang

A documentary film about the life and culture of the people of Northern Laos. In Thai. PAL format. 199-?. 150 min. Video/C 4098

Laos and Thailand(Mekong, A Turbulent River. 2, The Mekong in Laos and Thailand)

Life and Language: Thai Language Videos

Film and accompanying text are designed to facilitate Thai language studies. Video provides samples of contemporary spoken Thai spanning a wide range of contexts and levels. The common objective throughout filming was to encourage the people interviewed to speak naturally using the vocabulary and idioms they would normally use in their everyday life. 1994. 124 min. Video/C 4117

Made in Thailand.

A documentary about women factory workers in Thailand and their struggle to organize unions. In Thailand women make up 90% of the labor force responsible for garments and toys for export by multinational corporations. While probing the impact of the New World Order on populations that provide cheap labor in Thailand, the film also profiles women newly empowered by their campaign for human and worker's rights. c1999. 33 min. Video/C 7084

Mini Dragons II

The Mini Dragaon series continues with three newcomers to the global economic scene: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Looks at their economic growth and the soical and cultural forces that drive them. 1993. 60 min. ea. Video/C 3190 - 3192

Mysterious Object at Noon

An experimental mix of documentary and fiction presenting a portrait of Thailand's disefranchised lower classes that emerges through interviews in which participants are asked to contribute to an evolving chain story, and in the process, reveal their vivid, largely unexamined lives. In this exercise in village surrealism, farmers, fruit vendors and village performers present their collective story about a handicapped boy and his teacher. c2003. 85 min. DVD 1880

Rebel with a Real Cause: The Story of the Fight for Truth over the Controversy of Pak Mun Dam.

A documentary about the construction of the Pak Mun Dam in Thailand and its social, economic and environmental impact on the local Thai communities and cultures. [1998?] 28 min. PAL format. Video/C 7929

Temple of Twenty Pagodas

Shows the Buddhist monastery, Wat Chedi Sio, in Northern Thailand which is said to be two thousand years old. Focuses on the daily life of the monastery and the village which it serves. 1990. 21 min. Video/C 9140

Thai Sounds and Writing: An Introduction

Part 1. Background history -- Part 2. Distinguishing letters -- Part 3. Distinguishing sounds -- Part 4. Rules of the writing system -- Part 5. List of symbols. Introduction to the sounds and writing systems of the Thai language. Includes a history of the invention of the Thai script, how Thai letters are written, the main sound units of the language, the 44 Thai consonant letters, vowels symbols, other signs and how tones are represented in Thai script. 60 min. Video/C 4043

Thailand (Asia in Transition)

Unlike its neighbors, Thailand has never been colonized or annexed--but keeping it that way has been a stern challenge. This program examines Thailand's political independence, which is based on democratic and generally peaceful rule by a culturally supported monarchy. However, growing dissatisfaction has caused grass-roots dissent, as demonstrated by the lyrics of pop music idol Ad Karabao, who protests against imported consumer goods, and the agitation of "Ubon Without a Border," a group lobbying for open access with Laos and Cambodia. The powerful yet incongruous influences of Thai boxing and Buddhism are also assessed. 1999. 48 min. Video/C 8564

Thailand

First segment: From Bangkok, an examination of Thailand's burgeoning, multi-billion dollar, sex industry and the sexual trafficking of minors. Second segment: Through excerpts from the film "Cuba va," shows the diversity of opinions held by Cuban youths about the Revolution. Third segment: Profiles the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rigoberta Menchu, who fights for the rights of indigenous people in Guatemala and around the world. Fourth segment: A look at the impact of American rap and rock n' roll music on the Cuban music scene. TV series, Rights & Wrongs, boadcast June 25, 1994. 27 min. Video/C 6742

Thailand (Mini-Dragons II)

Thailand's capital, Bangkok, is a city of 7.5 million people, and in danger of being suffocated by its own success. While the newly created middle class shops at massive luxury malls, the rural poor labor under tough conditions. Income distribution, infrastructure problems and the destruction of Thailand's natural environment pose major problems for the fragile government. 1986. 60 min. Video/C 3192

Thailand My Love

A look at the cultural and technological developments of Thailand. Produced by the Mitsubishi Motor Corporation. 198-?. 30 min. Video/C 1951

Trading Women.

This documentary concerns the trafficking of women and girls into the Thai sex industry, and examines the related social and political factors. Profiles the hill peoples of Thailand, noting that lack of citizenship, with its associated landlessness, poverty and vulnerability to police corruption, is an overriding factor in the women becoming easy prey to sex traffickers. 2002. 77 min. Video/C MM164

Turning Grief into Courage

With an estimated 6.4 million Asians now infected with AIDS, Asia is projected to be the next epicenter of the global AIDS pandemic. This is the story of a teenage girl who lost her father to AIDS, and her mother is HIV positive. With the help of her rural community in San Pa Tong, Thailand, she is turning grief into courage to make something of her life. c2001. 13 min. Video/C 9143

Two Faces of Thailand: A Musical Portrait.

Popular music in Thailand, where even the king of Thailand is a jazz musician, juxtapositions folk music with Western pop to produce the Luk Tung music scene. Director Marre, joins Luk Tung star Sumbatcharon on the road as he takes his huge troupe across country to stage sprawling, uniquely Thai extravaganzas that are the common man's entertainment. We are also taken into the cities, into the kick-boxing arenas and the red-light districts where music plays an integral role. 1994. 60 min. Video/C 3586

Unteasing the Thai Enigma of social Change and Continuity

A lecture by Dr. Juree Namsirichai Vichit-Vadakan who teaches at the School of Public Administration of the National Institute of Development Administratrion, a government graduate institution in Bangkok. A tireless advocate for social justice she has combined academic work with social movement activities by founding the the Center of Philantrophy and Civil Society which she chairs. Address is followed by questions from the audience. "Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, fifteenth emeritus lecture." Hosts/commentators: Laura Nader, Nelson Graburn, Aihwa Ong. A lecture presented at the University of California, Berkeley on October 19, 2006. 70 min. DVD 6746

Upstream Downstream.

Documentary on resolving conflicts over water use between upstream and downstream communities on the Ping River in northern Thailand. The Ping River Basin Committee brings all stakeholders together to seek common ground on sharing and protecting this vital river system. 2003. 23 min. Video/C MM425

The Virgin Trade

Looking at the dark underbelly of Thailand's sex trade, this documentary unravels the complexities of Western sex tourism and its relationship with Asia's home grown trade. With accounts from travellers, male holiday makers and Thai girls the investigation turns expectation on its head in a shocking journey that is brutally honest, dark, humorous and surprisingly touching. Written and directed by Stuart Kershaw. 2007? 54 min. DVD 8834

Walking with the Buddha.

This program, filmed in Thailand, looks at the life of Buddha and traces the development of Buddhism in various countries. It also describes the day-to-day lives of Buddhist priests in Thailand as they counsel, teach, beg for alms, and meditate. 1996. 29 min. Video/C 5652

Winning Heaven: A Glimpse Into the Life of a Young Muay Thai Boxer

This film invites us into the fascinating world of Muay Thai boxing through the life of Tong, a young Thai boxer from North Thailand. Director Detlev F. Neufert weaves scenes of everyday life--home, school, leisure--into this simple but evocative story of Tong's dedication to his training. The authentic portrayal of present-day Thai society and its unique cultural traditions enriches the film. Directed by Detlev F. Neufert. 2006. 29 min. DVD 8958

See also the films under the above heading, General.

To the top of the section

Burma

Anonymously Yours

An extraordinary documentary shot clandestinely in Burma, the film examines sex-trafficking in Southeast Asia through interviews with four young women. The brutal honesty of their stories exposes the commonplace bartering and selling of women and the cycles of poverty that enslave them. From the back rooms of teashops and restaurants to the lounges of five-star hotels, the Far East sex trade thrives on the routine merchandising of girls and women for the sexual pleasure of men from all cultures. c2002. 58 min. Video/C 9864

Burma (Asia in Transition)

Renamed Myanmar by its ruling junta, Burma is one of the world's poorest nations due to decades of iron-fisted military control and despite its valuable natural resources and priceless national treasures. This program presents an intriguing glimpse of Burmese life, ranging from washing the sacred Buddha at the Maha Muni Pagoda and the initiation of young Buddhist novices amid the ruins of Bagan to farming the amazing floating gardens of Lake Inle. Issues including Burma's 40-year civil war, the vital role of the railway and the cinema, and rampant smuggling are addressed as well. 1999. 49 min. Video/C 8565

Burma

First segment: Examines the human rights crisis in Myanmar and the brutal suppression of basic civil liberties by the Burmese military. Second segment: An interview with Kenneth Roth of Human Rights Watch, about ethnic warfare, new ways to link trade and human rights and how the Clinton administration is viewed by human rights activists. Third segment: A look inside New York City's El Puente Academy of Peace and Justice ("Human rights high") which centers it curriculum around human rights and peace and justice issues. Segment from the television program Rights & wrongs broadcast May 7, 1994. 27 min. Video/C 6708

Burma Diary

This documentary explores the revolutionary movement fighting for democracy in Burma and how young people are affected by the human rights abuses of Burma's military regime. Chronicles four years in the life of Tint Aung, a member of the student movement living in the jungle at the Thailand-Burma border. 1997. 55 min. Video/C 6919

Entrenched Abuse: Forced Labor in Burma

Despite its claims to the contrary, the Burmese military routinely forces hundreds of thousands of native people to work against their will and without pay on development projects, as porters in the military and in other forms of compulsory labor. This footage recorded in 2003 among three different ethnic groups in different regions of Burma all controlled by the Burmese military, examines the practice through interviews with indigenous Burmese. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. 2003. 12 min. DVD 3251

Witness web site

Fueling Abuse: Foreign Investment and Terror in Burma

Looks at the oppression of the Karen ethnic minority in Eastern Burma, where the military junta (SPDC) is systematically uprooting villages and brutalizing the civilian population. Foreign investment has provided much of the funding to fuel the repressive policies of the junta, and this expose draws attention to the action campaigns of the leading advocacy groups that are pressuring companies to withdrawn from projects in Burma. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. 2002. 7 min. DVD 3242

Witness web site

The Heroin Wars

Part 1, The Opium Convoys. Filmed over a 30 year period, this 3-part video examines the ongoing civil war and the burgeoning opium trade in Burma. The first segment begins in the 1960s when the Burmese Army seized power in a coup and the Shans began a war of independence. Opium was the Shan farmers' only source of income and the guerillas began to take 10% of the crop as tax and transported it in convoys to Thailand to buy guns. And so a deadly alliance was born. In the 1970s, as part of Richard Nixon's war on drugs, the U.S. joined in an all-out attack on the convoys in union with the Thai police. Lo Hsing-Han, the first "King of Opium" was arrested but the opium trade continued under the second "King of Opium", Khun Sa. 60 min. 1996. Video/C 5296

Part 2, Smack City. The second segment moves to Hong Kong, which has been the drug capital of South-East Asia for a century. In Hong Kong opium was sold under a government license until the end of WWII when Britain enforced the UN treaty against narcotics. In the 1960s Hong Kong's suppliers and addicts switched from the relatively innocuous opium to the more addictive heroin because it was easier to smuggle and consume. This film follows the fortunes of one gang which controlled the selling of heroin on one street corner and also follows the Hong Kong police as they raid heroin factories and distribution centers in what appears to be a futile struggle. 1996. 60 min. Video/C 5297

Part 3, The Kings of Opium. The third segment of the series examining the ongoing civil war and the burgeoning opium trade in Burm returns to the Shans' war for independence led by Khun Sa, the second "King of Opium". In 1993 the Shan People's Republic Committee declared itself no longer part of the union of Burma. Lo Hsing-Han meanwhile joined the government forces and eventually brought Khun Sa to his knees, regaining control once again over the narcotics trade, but this time for the military dictatorship. Today both men are rich and powerful, and the amount of opium produced in Shan State has increased ten-fold, flooding Europe and the United States with cheap heroin. 1996. 60 min. Video/C 5298

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:

Thailand, Burma. 1988. 49 min. Video/C 3520. For complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance.

Inside Burma: Land of Fear, A Special Report

This news report tells of the oppression suffered by the Burmese people and the measures the government took to suppress an uprising in 1988. While much of the world has heard of Tiananmen Square in China, the Burmese democracy revolt has had less publicity due to greater censorship in Burma. The film was shot secretly and smuggled out of Burma. 1997. 60 min. Video/C 5082

The Longest Struggle: Burma (Disappearing World)

The Karen of Burma have been fighting a bitter civil war nearly half a century, a war the West has forgotten. In a beautiful Karen village near the front line, the inhabitants, many of whom have never known peace, speak of the hardships they have endured, and the hope of freedom that keeps them alive. 1993. 52 min. DVD 7812 [preservation copy]; vhs Video/C 3438

No Childhood at All

Documentary on human rights abuses perpetrated against children in Burma, in particular the conscription of children into the Burmese Army which has become routine in a country that has been in continuous civil war for most of the Twentieth century. c1997. 30 min. PAL format. Video/C 8915

No Place to Go: Internally Displaced People in Burma

Based upon testimony of internally displaced persons in eastern Burma, this documentary tells their story as the Burmese military government has systematically killed its own people using forced labor, forced movement, arbitrary executions and massacres. Almost a million people, primarily ethnic minorites such as the Karen, have been driven from their homes and forced to run into relocation camps or into the jungle where they have limited access to healthcare, shelter, or food, and must constantly relocate to avoid attack or capture by the Burmese forces. Many are subsequently forced to flee as refugees into neighboring Thailand. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. 2001. 14 min. DVD 3245

Witness web site

Phukamprathet

The film describes the history and culture of Burma including the Burmese invasion of Thailand. The film is in six parts. 1991. 158 min. PAL format. Video/C 2710

Prayer of Peace: Relief & Resistance in Burma's War Zones

On the front lines of conflict deep inside Burma, this documentary follows ethnic relief workers as they aid internally displaced people suffering under the Burma Army. Focusing on a female medic and a pastor/human rights cameraman, the film reveals a people that have maintained their dignity and hope for peace despite the odds. 2007. 28 min. DVD 8959

Road to Nowhere: An Investigation into Forced Labour in Burma

Since a hard-line military regime seized power in 1988, Burma has become a huge slave labour camp. In 1998, the International Labour Organisation found Burma's military government guilty of "widespread and systematic forced labor abuse." Includes interviews with ordinary people, Burma's democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, human rights advocates from Amnesty International and a spokesman for the Burmese military regime. 1999. 34 min. Video/C 8046

Sacrifice

A film by Ellen Bruno. Each year thousands of girls are recruited from rural Burmese villages to work in brothels in Thailand where they are held for years in debt bondage. The trafficking of Burmese girls is a direct result of political repression in Burma. Human rights abuses, war, and ethnic discrimination have displaced thousands of families leaving them with no means of livelihood. This film, through interviews with the girls, examines the social, cultural and economic forces at work in the trafficking of Burmese girls. 1998. 48 min. Video/C 5580

See also the films under the above heading, General.

To the top

Indonesia / Java / Borneo / East Timor Listing of feature and documentary films in Indonesian and Malay (without subtitles)

Aggression & Self-determination: Massacre in East Timor

Activist documentary of the Indonesian invasion of East Timor, offering eyewitness accounts, testimony before the United Nations, and analysis of how to end the occupation. Includes footage of the November 12, 1991 massacre in Dili by Indonesian soldiers attempting to stop the spread of the independence movement against the forced rule of the Timorese. Shows the aftermath of the massacre and tells the role of United States government policy in creating the tragedy. Episode of the television series Rock the boat. Includes ABC World News Tonight piece from 9/21/92. 28 min. Video/C 8570

Anak Seribu Pulau: Kisah Anak, Anak Indonesia

Documentary on Indonesian children in Jakarta and remote areas of Indonesia, portraying their way of life, cultural values, ethnic backgrounds, and environment. In Indonesian with English subtitles. Originally produced for a television program. 13 episodes (60 min. each), on 5 tapes. Contents: Seri 1. Ceh Kucak Gayo. Surau Air Hangat. Sahabat besarku. -- Seri 2. Jakarta punya cerita. Nenek moyangku orang pelaut. Kupu-kupu di atas batikku. -- Seri 3. Dongeng negeri hijau. Siulan bambu Toraya [i.e. Toraja]. Akarku. -- Seri 4. Raja sehari. Hau ema Timor. Matahenne. -- Seri. 5. Rumah luasku. Rangkuman. 1996. 450 min. MPAL format. Video/C 4882

Anywhere But Fear: Inside the Martial Law in Aceh, 19 May 2003-19 May 2004

Documentary on the violation of human rights and humanitarian law both by the military and rebels since the Indonesian government imposed martial law in Aceh, 2003-2004. Includes interviews with both Achinese refugees and the military. 32 min. DVD 6471

Art of Indonesia: Tales from the Shadow World

Explores Indonesia's ancient treasures and its "shadow world" -- the rituals, myths, and performances by which the harmony of the universe is maintained. 1990. 28 min. Video/C 1952

Bitter Paradise: The Sell-out of East Timor

Discusses the invasion of East Timor by Indonesia and the massacre of over 200,000 people. Tells the story of one people's struggle for survival in a world dominated by the search for raw materials and new markets. Recounts Elaine Briere's personal political journey, from the villages of East Timor to the halls of the United Nations, from political innocence to political activism. 1996. 57 min. Video/C 8569

The Black Road: On the Front Line of Aceh's War

Print journalist-turned-filmmaker William Nessen presents a riveting frontline account of Aceh's rebellion against Indonesian rule. He spent four years interacting with both the Indonesian Army and GAM (Free Aceh Movement). Through interviews, archival footage and Nessen's unique insider's perspective the film captures the human dimension of the escalating war, martial law, the banning of foreign journalists and the 2004 tsunami. Includes footage of Shadia Marhaban, an Achehnese independence activist and journalist, who was one of the negotiators for GAM during recent peace talks in Finland. 2005. 52 min. DVD 5098

Blood Money: Funding the Militia

Examines corruption claims uncovered by two separate inquiries into human rights abuses in East Timor, that the Indonesian government directly diverted moneys from International Aid funds held by the World Bank for use by Indonesian militia to conduct their reign of terror in East Timor. Origionally produced by Special Broadcasting Service (Australia) as a segment on Dateline on February 16, 2000. 46 min. Video/C 8574

Borneo

Filmed in 1937, this last documentary film by naturalists and explorers Martin and Osa Johnson, features a trip to Borneo, their exploration of the land, and their encounters with the native people and wildlife of the jungles of Borneo including snakes, monkeys, fish, birds and orangutans. A prime example of the type of popular, wildly exploitative travel film made in the US between 1920 and 1950. 76 min. Video/C MM305

Borobudur: Beyond the Reach of Time

Dating from a thousand years ago -- four centuries before the great Gothic cathedrals of Euorope -- the Buddhist temple of Borobudur stands in Java, a 400 feet square terraced pyramid festooned wth stone carvings and reliefs and featuring five hundred figures of Buddha. This documentary describes the history of Borobudur, and the current effort to clean, restore and renew this structure. 1983. 31 min. Video/C 9330

Childhood Rivalry in Bali and New Guinea

Produced by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead. A series of scenes comparing the responses of Balinese and Iatmul children of the same age to the mother's attending to another baby, to the ear piercing of a younger sibling, and to the experimental presentation of a doll. 1991?. 17 min. Video/C 3413

Children of the Crisis

Documentary that looks at children that live or work on the streets in Jakarta and how a community-based program is helping educate them and provide vocational training. Also examines the reasons many parents must leave their children unattended or give them to orphanages. 1999. 13 min. Video/C MM125

The Cockfight

At cockfights in Bali, birds are matched by type, strength and fighting characteristics, metal spurs are tied to their legs, and bets are placed on the outcome: fatality, surrender, or tie-breaker. 1996. 15 min. Video/C 8746

Cold Blood: The Massacre at East Timor

Documentary on the history and current situation of the Timorese people since the invasion and occupation of their country by Indonesia. Includes interviews with survivors of the massacres that have occurred since 1975 at the hands of the Indonesians. 1992. 55 min.Video/C 8571

Dance of Life: Sabah, Malaysian Borneo

This documentary shows a variety of traditional dances of three of the indigenous peoples of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Includes commentary on culture, costume, and music. Contents: Kadazandusun dances. Sumazau ; Sumazau Penampang ; Sazau ; Mongigol sumundai ; Mongigol sumayau -- Bajau dances. Tarirai ; Bolak-bolak ; Daling-daling ; Kuda pasu ; Limbai -- Murut dances. Anggalang ; Mangalang ; Alang ra ilau ; Pinapasan ; Magunatip -- Sambut tamu & finale. 2003. 45 min. DVD 6588

Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy: A Special Report

On December 7, 1975 Indonesia secretly -- but with the complicity of the Western powers -- invaded the small nation of East Timor. The Indonesian military used US and British planes to bombard the island, while the defense ministers proclaimed ignorance. In 1993, with the Indonesian army still occupying the country, John Pilger and his crew including director David Munro, slipped into East Timor and made this film. In the intervening 18 years, an estimated 200, 000 East Timorese had been slaughtered by the Indonesian military. Pilger tells the story using clandestine footage of the countryside, internment camps and even Fretlin guerrillas, as well as interviews with Timorese exiles, including Jose Ramos Horta and Jose Gusmao, and Australian, British, and Indonesian diplomats. Directed by David Munro ; written and presented by John Pilger ; edited by Joe Frost. 1994 . 75 min. DVD 7043; vhs Video/C 4593

Description from Bullfrog Films catalog

Dream Wanderers of Borneo (Ring of Fire; 4)

Presents the ten-year voyage of two filmmakers, brothers Lorne and Lawrence Blair, through the islands of Indonesia. In this fourth segment the brothers travel 800 miles through rainforest to find the last of the Punan Dyaks, a tribe believed to be extinct. When they do, in fact, find them, the brothers are initiated into the spiritual mysteries of the "dream wanderers" and tattooed with the symbol of Aping-"the tree of all life". 1987. 58 min. Video/C 3585

East of Krakatoa (Ring of Fire; 3)

Presents the ten-year voyage of two filmmakers, brothers Lorne and Lawrence Blair, through the islands of Indonesia. In this third segment the brothers visit Java, where they descend from the crater of a new volcano, "Child of Krakatoa", to a world of medieval courts, puppet plays, forgers of magical swords, healers with supernatural powers and whole communities ruled by spirits. Then in Bali they meet with sages, and the Toraja people of the Celebes highlands, a tribe that believes its ancestors came from the stars in skyships. 1987. 58 min. Video/C 3584

East Timor: Turning a Blind Eye

Discusses the invasion of East Timor by Indonesia in 1975 and the massacre of over 200,000 people with an emphasis on American policy and the role of the media. Features interviews with journalists Elizabeth Exposto, Amy Goodman, Allan Nairn, Constancio Pinto, Danilo Henriques, Tom Hyland and Charles Scheiner. 1993. 30 min. Video/C 8573

Forgotten Jewel: Buddhist Temples in Java

Documentary of Buddhist temples in Central and East Java, 8th to 14th century. 2005? 45 min. DVD 8528

Freedom or Death ( Riding the Tiger; 2.)

This program examines the period of Japanese rule in Indonesia. While the Japanese provided widespread fight a revolutionary war against the Dutch, the Japanese also created a widespread network of control and surveillance that still exists today. When the nationalist movement finally won independence from the Dutch, it was the Japanese trained army, not the people who ruled the nation. 1992. 55 min. Video/C 4591

Genocide: The Horror Continues

he late 20th century produced a sinister euphemism: 'ethnic cleansing.' This program presents a comprehensive survey of genocide by looking at the most recent examples in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey; Burundi and Rwanda; the former Yugoslavia; Indonesia and East Timor; and Chechnya. The role and efforts of the United Nations are discussed as well as what the future holds in trying to prevent genocide. 2002. 57 min. Video/C 8745

The Goddess and the Computer

Examines centuries-old traditions of rice farming on Bali in which water is considered a gift from a goddess and is controlled by priests. The importance of this religious system of irrigation came to light only after newly developed methods of rice farming were introduced as a result of the green revolution and production decreased while pests multiplied. A computer modeling system was developed which confirmed the wisdom of the old traditions. 1988. 58 min. Video/C 8846

Gods of Bali

Anthropologically rich documentary, focusing on worship of temple deities, how the gods and demons interface with Bali life and the dances, trances and legend restagings that serve as the basis for their interactions with immortals. Director, Nikola Drakulic, 1952. 56 min. DVD 3596

High Noon in Jakarta

Australian journalist Curtis Levy lived in the palace of Indonesian president Abdurrahman Wahid for four months to make this intimate portrayal of the life of the president. Also known as Gus Dur, Wahid is virtually blind and has had two strokes. This documentary presents an unprecedented view of the Freedom Palace in Jakarta and Wahid as he takes on the entrenched power of the military in a tactical battle over who will run Indonesia. 1999. PAL format. 59 min. Video/C 8997

The Great Ceremony to Straighten the World

The film features rituals and ceremonies of the Balinese people on religious, daily, and family occasions, including music and dance. 1994. 56 min. Video/C 6809

The Great Ceremony to Straighten the World

The film features rituals and ceremonies of the Balinese people on religious, daily, and family occasions, including music and dance. 1994. 56 min. Video/C 6809

The Human Face of Indonesia

This 5-part series focuses on the lives of five very different Indonesians. By putting their personal stories into the broader context of modern Indonesia, it presents an informative picture of the country' life and culture. See GLADIS/MELVYL using long display for more detailed description. 1990?. 30 min. ea. Video/C 3074 - 3078

Indie-compilatie

Presents five documentary films created during the Dutch occupation of Indonesia featuring early 20th century ethnographic scenes of Indonesian life. Documentary films originally produced between 1910 and 1915. Contents: De opening van de landbouwhogeschool te Kopo -- Een autotocht door Bandoeng -- Het leven van den Inlander in de dessa -- De strafgevangenis van Batavia -- Het leven der Europeanen in Indie. Silent and in Dutch. PAL format. Video/C MM24

Indonesia (Mini-Dragons II)

To achieve economic success Indonesia is not just relying on cheap labor, but is developing its science and technology. The wealth of the island is still in the hands of very few, primarily Indonesians of Chinese Descent, while the Muslim Pribumis who provide the manpower represent a gap of disparity that threatens to trigger ethnic conflict. 1993. 60 min. Video/C 3190

Indonesia at the Crossroads

In Indonesia, activists seek to return their country to its traditional moral values after a period of rapid economic growth that resulted in rampant nepotism and corruption under President Suharto. Muslim students and Hindu priests work to revitalize Indonesia while preserving a democratic ideal and seeking to redefine the country within a historical context of religious tradition and tolerance. Originally produced for television by ABC TV in 1998 as a segment of: Seasons of change. 34 min. Video/C 9660

Indonesia Calling

A film shot partially in secret in the 1940's, unabashedly demanding independence for Indonesia as it documents the Indonesian people's struggle for freedom from Dutch occupation. Originally produced in Australia in 1946. 24 min. PAL format. Video/C 9565

Indonesia: One Struggle, One Change

Interviews with Indonesians who have been affected by the repressive policies of the government against the labor movement and pro-democracy advocates. Labor organizers, students, East Timorese, political activists and workers speak out about life under the boot of the Suharto regime. It moves from an elderly farmer's scornful appraisal to the trials of activists from the outlawed People's Democratic Party. 1997. 30 min. Video/C 5405

Indonesia: Urban Development in Jakarta

This film portrays problems of urban development in greater Jakarta, told through the lives of the poor working class Zaini family. Urbanization is leading to pressure on resources, space, and people, and to acute problems of growth, such as water supply, transport,and land shortage. The growth of the big business central district, or "Golden Triangle," is contrasted with the makeshift dwellings the Zaini family is forced to live in as they move from one location to another. The role of the informal economy, factory work, and financial sector are highlighted. 1996. 20 min. Video/C 7213

Invitation to a Wedding

Australian journalist Curtis Levy visits Indonesia, the largest Islamic country in the world, to make a film studying the impact of the religious ideals of Islam on Indonesian society. 1995. 53 min. Video/C 8996

Islands on Fire

A documentary on human rights abuses in Indonesia and East Timor stemming from the July 1966 government crackdown, highlighting the efforts of the opposition movement to bring democratic change to Indonesia and East Timor. Includes scenes of the July 27th riots and the 1991 Dili massacre in East Timor. The film also explores how U.S. companies exploit Indonesian labor, in particular the U.S.-owned Nike Corporation. 1996. 25 min. Video/C 5404

Jalan raya pos (De groote postwegJalan raya pos)

Indonesian political writer Pramudya Ananta Pur relates the story of the construction of the 1000 kilometre road stretching from Anyer to Panarukan, Indonesia, completed in one year in 1809 using forced labor. VHS format (PAL). 1996. 155 min. Video/C 9187

Jose Ramos-Horta: East Timor, Indonesia & the U.S.[Sound Recording]

Lecture recorded on February 20, 1997 in New York City. 60 min. Sound/C 1646

The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance: Indonesia.

49 min. Video/C 3522-3523. For the complete listing of contents, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance.

Karba's First Years: A Study of Balinese Childhood

Produced by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead.A series of scenes in the life of a Balinese child, beginning with a seventh-month birthday ceremonial, showing the child's relationships to parents, aunts and uncles, child nurse, and other children, as he is suckled, taught to walk and to dance, teased, and titiliated. Demonstrates the process by which a Balinese child's responsiveness is muted as parents stimulate and themselves fail to respond. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1952. 20 min. Video/C 3412

Kings and Coolies (Riding the Tiger; 1)

Centuries of Dutch rule has left a lasting imprint on Indonesian society. While the Dutch grew prosperous on Indonesia's wealth, the Indonesian people remained among the poorest of Southeast Asia. This program looks at the period of Dutch colonization and at Indonesia's struggle for independence, which began in 1942 with the Japanese invasion and the end of Dutch rule. 1992. 52 min. Video/C 4590

Legong: Dance of the Virgins: a Story of the South Seas (1930, silent)

Directed by Henri de la Falaise. Filmed on location on the island of Bali and featuring an all-native cast, this dramatization is based on facts and authentic custom. It tells the story of the romantic relationship between Poulou, a chaste maiden and sacred dancer of the temple, and Nyong, a carefree youth. 50 min. DVD 3596; also VHS 999:3476

Credits and other information from the Internet Movie Database

Lessons from Life

When the people of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia militia groups opposed to independence went on a rampage, burning, looting and killing the people. The toll on children was especially high with 90% of the primary schools destroyed or badly damaged. Nevertheless, within months children were back at school holding classes in the ruins. This tells the story of East Timorese children determined to continue their education, learning to cope with the trauma left by the devastation that marked the birth of their country. c2001. 14 min. Video/C 9144

Licensed to Kill: Paramilitaries in East Timor

In this documentary report on the 1975 invasion of East Timor by Indonesia in which hundreds of thousands of people were killed, paramilitary leaders speak candidly about their relationship with the Indonesian military. Originally telecast on the television program Four Corners Australia.46 min. 1999. Video/C 8575

Licensed to Kill; East Timor: on the Brink.

Licensed to kill: Outlines the genesis of military backed militia violence in East Timor. East timor on the brink: Presents a look at the situation in East Timor in 1999, including economic interests of the Indonesian military and its allies and the foreign training of Indonesian troops. Licensed to Kill origionally produced by Australian television on May 23, 1999. East Timor: on the brink originally presented as a segment on Sunday program by Australian television on June 3, 1999.1992. Licensed to kill (1999, 14 min.) -- East Timor: on the brink (1999, 43 min.). Video/C 8572

Mardiyem: What Happened to Her Life.

Mardiyem from Indonesia, was forced to become a comfort woman during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia when she was only thirteen. This documentary tells the story of her turbulent life, and of her journey, fifty years later to Borneo, the former site of the sexual gratification facilities for Japanese soldiers, to revisit her former self. 2001. 92 min. Video/C MM81

Mariman(Winds of Change)

Mariman's computer store was among the many Chinese businesses that were attacked and burned during the May 1998 riots in Indonesia; the same riots that toppled Suharto ... Mariman has sent his eldest son to Malaysia for safety ... His 9-year-old daughter doesn't want to leave Jakarta, but with violence continuing to erupt and elections drawing near, Mariman is growing increasing nervous. 2000. 20 min. Video/C 9625

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Miyah: The Life of a Javanese Woman

An intimate portait of a Javanese woman who works as a servant and cook for a family in Jakarta, Indonesia. Miyah represents millions of rural dwellers who seek work in the cities and whose labor undergirds Asia's economies. While many aspects of her life are specific to circumstances in Indonesia, Miyah also presents women all over the world who must struggle with the day to day problems of making a living to support not only her own children but also her aging parents. c1999. 33 min. Video/C 9467

Mini-Dragons II: Indonesia

Mother Dao, the Turtlelike: een kinematographic image of the Dutch-Indies, 1912-c1933.

Using period footage, this documentary portrays the Dutch colonization and industrialization of Indonesia, emphasizing the effect on the indigenous peoples. Songs and poems on soundtrack subtitled in English. 1995. 87 min. Video/C 6029

The New Order (Riding the Tiger; 3)

The bloody coup that led to President Suharto's rise to power in 1966 opened the door to economic development, fueled primarily by investment from the United States and Japan. After 25 years of Suharto's "New Order" rule, Indonesia is again approaching a period of uncertainty. Poised for another battle for succession, Indonesia finds itself trying to cope with the conflict between a religious society evolving to one embracing a philosophy of economic growth. 1992. 52 min. Video/C 4592

The New Rulers of the World

John Pilfer looks at how globalization has increased the gap between the very rich and the very poor. In particular he presents Indonesia as an example of how globalization and corrupt government has thrown millions of people into poverty and how multinational corporations support the abuse of workers in sweatshops. c2001. 53 min. Video/C 9271

Bullfrog Films catalog description

On Cannibalism

King Kong meets the family photograph in this provocatively ironic video which explores the West's insatiable appetite for native bodies in museums, world's fairs and early films. A personal narrative about race and identity by an Indonesian-American videographer of Batak- Palembang descent. 1994. 6 min. Video/C 9723

Women Make Movies catalog description

On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures. Volume 1

Contents: Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana: Dan hidup berjalan terus = And life goes on (25 min.) -- Selasih: Nama saya Selasih = My name is Selasih (23 min.) -- A. A. Navis: Satiris dan suara kritis dari daerah = A satirist and critic speaks (22 min.) -- Ramadhan Kh: Dari mata ramadhan kh = In the eyes of Ramadhan Kh. (23 min.) -- Sitor Situmorang: Rindu kelana = The need to wander (24 min.) -- Pramoedya Ananta Toer: Mendengar si bisu bernyanyi = Hear the mute's song (29 min.).

On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures. Volume 2

A documentary presenting six prominent Indonesian literary figures. Segments on each writer include an overview of the writer's educational and social background, an interview with the author and presentations from the writer's works. Contents: Rendra: Si burung merak = The peacock (23 min.) -- Nh. Dini: Sosok pengarang wanita dan dunianya = A woman writer and her world (22 min.) -- Umar Kayam: Refleksi kehidupan = Reflections (23 min.) -- Taufiq Ismail: Tirani dan puisi = Tyranny and poetry (25 min.) -- Danarto: Sastra sufisme danarto = Danarto: Literary sufism (25 min.) -- Geonawan Mohamad: Potret penyair si malin kundang (23 min.).

141 min. DVD 3029

On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures. Volume 3

A documentary presenting six prominent Indonesian literary figures. Segments on each writer include an overview of the writer's educational and social background, an interview with the author and presentations from the writer's works. Contents: H.B. Jassin: Yang duduk di kursi imaginasi = In the court of the imagination (39 min.) -- Toeti Heraty: Sosok penyair = Portrait of a poet (25 min.) -- Darmanto Jatman: Sang Darmanto = Darmanto (24 min.) -- Putu Oka Sukanta: Merajut harkat = Weaving dignity (25 min.) -- Soeman Hs: Soeman Hs (25 min.) -- Agam Wispi: Pulang = Coming home (24 min.). 161 min. DVD 3030

On the Record: Indonesian Literary Figures. Volume 4

A documentary presenting six prominent Indonesian literary figures. Segments on each writer include an overview of the writer's educational and social background, an interview with the author and presentations from the writer's works. Contents: 1. Achdiat K. Mihardja: Suara dari jaman pergerakan = Voice from the revolution (25 min.) -- 2. Ahmad Tohari : Kesaksian tanpa batas = Eternal witness (25 min.) -- 3. Gerson Poyk: Nostalgia nusatenggara (25 min.) -- 4. Hanna Rambe: Hanna Rambe (25 min.) -- 5. Kuntowijoyo: Duo dunia Kuntowijoyo = Two world of Kuntowijoyo. -- 6. Sapardi Djoko Damono: Aku ingin = I want (25 min.) Camera, Roy Lolang ; editor, Rizal Basri ; music, Hendry S. ; subtitling, Juliana M. Wilson ; subtitles, Adi Nugraha. Narrator and interviewer: Debra H. Yatim. 150 min. DVD 4665

Our Asian Neighbours. Indonesia, Tape One

Angklung orchestra: the Bundung Conservatorium Orchestra demonstrates the angklung, a Javanese bamboo instrument that is rattled to produce a fixed note. Azhari Ali: an Acehnese University student: Examines the daily life of a university student -- a devout Muslim supported financially by mosque authorities. Balinese gong orchestra: An explanatory film on the gamelan gong and the instruments of the Tunjuk Orchestra. The Bupati of Subang: A Bupati is the Indonesian government's civilian administrator of a local area. The film follows the activities of the Bupati of Subang, West Java, whose decisions affect the lives of a million people. Hasans: a Buginese trading family: Once feared pirates of the Java Sea, the Bugis people of Malay now run trading junks (rahu) among the islands of Indonesia. Follows the Hasan family who run a fleet of boats from the West Java port of Surabaya. Videocassette release of films originally produced by Film Australia, 1974-1975. 85 min. Video/C MM192

Our Asian Neighbours. Indonesia, Tape Two

Summary: Marvel: a Jakarta boy: A day in the life of 14-year-old Marvel, from a migrant Minangkabau family now living in Jakarta. Mastri: a Balinese woman: Contrasts normal village life with the "tourist" Bali and shows something of the religious life of the people of Tunjuk. Pak Menggung: a Javanese aristocrat: The remaining aristocrats of Java mostly live in poverty but maintain the old traditions. Presents insight into their courtly traditions of art, etiquette and ceremony. Sinaga's family: a Batak village: A look at the daily life of an enterprising and ambitious farmer/fisherman in a small fishing village on Lake Toba. Taram: a Minangkabau village: A look at life in the village of Taram, Sumatra, where the clan inheritance is passed from mother to daughter. Videocassette release of films originally produced by Film Australia, 1974-1975. 96 min. Video/C MM193

Promised Paradise: How Can One Believe That Terrorism Leads to Heaven?

Banned by the Indonesian government, this provocative documentary examines the psychology of extremism in a country with the largest Muslim population in the world. "Promised Paradise," a new film from documentary filmmaker Leonard Retel Helmrich, made international news earlier this year when Indonesian authorities suddenly banned it from screening at the Jakarta International Film Festival. The film follows a traditional Indonesian puppeteer and troubadour, the dynamic Agus Nur Amal, as he attempts to track down the terrorists who masterminded the 2002 Bali bombings. During the course of his journey, he exposes the atmosphere of intolerance and confusion that pervades his country. A film by Leonard Retel Helmrich. Dist. Cinema Guild. c2007 52 min. DVD 8706

People's Wheel (Roda rakyat)

Interviews with ex-becak (pedicab) drivers in Jakarta and their struggle to survive after the government has confiscated their cabs. More than just a means of transportation, they believe the becak also offers the hope for a future unpolluted city. 2003. 43 min. DVD 6472

Profil Budayawan

Profil Budayawan -- Pesona Wisata (art and cultural activities in Yogyakarta and Surakarta) -- Wawasan Mitra Tani (Agricultural activity) - Tanah Merdeka (Journalism and the importance of TV). In Indonesian. 199-?. Video/C 4451

Punitive Damage

Tells the story of Helen Todd, a New Zealander who sought justice through the U.S. Courts, by bringing suit against the Indonesian government and Lt. Gen. Sintong Panjaitan for the violation of human rights in the wrongful death of her son, Kamal Bamadhaj. Bamadhaj, a college student who had gone to East Timor to assist a human rights investigation, was gunned down during a peaceful protest on November 12, 1991, by the occupying Indonesian military.73 min 1999. Video/C 8494

Ramadhan in Indonesia

Ramadhan , the month of fasting, is an important time of year for the followers of Islam, during which they seek to honour God by cleansing body and soul. This documentary reveals the rituals of this sacred obligation as seen through the eyes of ordinary Muslims. Traveling to the city of Jakarta, the filmmakers follow the lives of a typical family, as they observe the rituals and traditions of Ramadhan. 1997. 52 min. Video/C 9181

Rasinah: dalang Topeng

Looks at the life and work of Rasinah, age 72, a master of the ancient mask dance Topeng Cirebon, which originated in West Java, Indonesia. Rooted in Islamic mysticism, the spiritual significance of the masks and dances was restricted to "specialist families," who for centuries passed on their unique heritage from generation to generation. By the late 1900's the popularity of Topeng Cirebon had faded -- its mystical masters forgotten. Once one of the most popular of the Topeng artists, Rasinah had been reduced to poverty as the taste for this traditional art form waned, but now her body moves again like a young dancer and she is off on an incredible journey of renewal. Directed by Rhoda Grauer. c2003. 57 min. DVD 7131

Description from Filmakers Library catalog

Reaching Out to the Grassroots(Life; 4)

This program looks at two very different approaches to improving the lives of poor people -- one through education, as in the Shilmundi Project in Bangladesh, the other through what's known as "community-driven development" in Indonesia. This program asks whether projects like these can be replicated in other countries trying to meet the targets of the Millennium Development goal of halving the number of people living in poverty by 2015. Director, Ashley Bruce. 26 min. DVD 3956

Rebuilding Aceh: One Community At a Time

Documentary on the rebuilding of Aceh after the tsunami disaster in 2004 with special emphasis on the role of the International Organization for Migration. 2005. DVD 8529

Religion and Magic

While all cultures exhibit some religious practices and beliefs, the forms taken are diverse. The animism practiced by American Indians, the mixture of ancient religion and Roman Catholicism among the Highland Maya, the ritual of Eka Dasa Rudra among the Balinese and successful and unsuccessful modern movements serve to illustrate the thesis. 1983. 30 min. Video/C 578

Rise up Maubere People!: FRETILIN Today

Timorese people from all over the island talk about the first four years of the Frente Revolucionaria do Timor Leste Independente (FRETILIN) government and the role of FRETILIN in the independence of their nation. 2006. 36 min. DVD 7663

The Role of Health Care in Building a Lasting Peace in Timor Leste

Dr. Chris Fenton, managing director of the Hospital of Hope in East Timor addresses the role of health care in establishing a lasting peace through equal access to adequate nutrition, sanitation, housing and availability of health care to all, especially the poor. The lecture is preceeded by the introduction of recent publications on East Timor authored by human rights activists. 2006 Andrew McNaughtan memorial lecture; Andrew McNaughtan memorial lecture, 2006.; Third annual Dr. Andrew McNaughtan memorial lecture. 110 min. DVD 8898

Sacred Trances of Bali and Java

Focusing on the religious practices of people living in Java and Bali, this film gives the background of Indonesian religion (Animism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam). It shows the use of trance in the various religions and the blending of the earlier practices with the new. [198-?] 30 min. Video/C 8434

Shadow Play: Indonesia's Years of Living Dangerously

Looks at the overthrow of President Sukarno by General Suharto and the nationwide purge that followed with mass arrests, torture and mass graves, beginning a dictatorship that would last until 1998. This documentary examines how British propaganda specialists worked with General Suharto to whip up anti-Communist sentiment and also reviews newly released comminiques from U.S. and Australian ambassadors, which reveal the Western powers allowed Suharto to carry out mass murders so the Indonesian domino would fall on their side of the Cold War divide. c2002. 57 min. Video/C 9623

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Shape of the Moon

Documentary chronicling one year in the life of a poor Indonesian family in the slums of Jakarta. Follows the daily trials of the widow Rumidja Sjamsuddin who, as a Christian living in the foment of the world's largest Muslim nation, provides a unique vantage point from which to view the evolving chaos of the Indonesian underclass. With her son, Bakti--a ne'er do well and man about town--and granddaughter Tari, Rumidja faces each day as a series of small obstacles to be countered with faith and prayer. A fight with an invasive local moneylender and a raging village fire are but two of the problems captured in cinema verite style. Originally produced as a motion picture in 2004 under the Dutch title: Stand van de maan. Director, Leonard Retel Helmrich. 92 min. Video/C MM1093

Shattered Dreams

Animated film produced to raise awareness among young people in Asian countries of the risks and consequences of becoming involved with people trafficking and exploitation. 2006. 45 min. DVD 7207

Sometimes I Must Speak Out Strongly: Carlos Ximenes Belo, Bishop of East Timor

A history of East Timor since its invasion and occupancy by Indonesia in 1975 when a campaign of terror began in which around a third of the population has died. Only the church has maintained some independence. This documentary emphasizes the efforts of Catholic bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo and Jose Ramos Horta, which won them the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996, for their courageous stand against the occupation. 1997 52 min. Video/C 8568

The Sorceress of Dirah (Dongeng dari)

Presents an experimental performance event of Balinese dances and legends, developed by the Javanese performance artist and choreographer Sardono W. Kusumo, working with his group in the village of Teges in Bali. The performance was presented widely in Europe and the US in the 1970s and this film version was produced in Bali in 1992. The film is presented in four sections, each involving myths and legends by which village communities have for generations sought to balance forces of good and evil. 2001. 41 min. Video/C MM157

Southeast Asia: Between the Giants (Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 25-26)

Program 25. Mainland Southeast Asia: Laos, isolated heart. Vietnam, fertile dreams.--Program 26. Maritime Southeast Asia: Indonesia, tourist invasion. Multi-cultural Malaysia. A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Laos, Isolated Heart examines the prospects for development in isolated Laos particularly through the "Friendship Bridge". Vietnam, Fertile Dreams looks at rice production in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Indonesia, Tourist Invasion explores the growing importance of tourism in Indonesia. Multi-cultural Malaysia analyzes Malaysia's different ethnic groups and efforts for mutual acceptance. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4324

Spice Island Saga

Presents the ten-year voyage of two filmmakers, brothers Lorne and Lawrence Blair, through the islands of Indonesia. In this first segment the brothers sail with the Bugis tribe on a 2,000 mile journey through the Spice Islands in search of the golden-tailed Bird of Paradise. As they travel the brothers journey every deeper into the wisdom of the island peoples. 1987. 58 min. Video/C 3582

The Three Worlds of Bali (Odyssey)

Anthropologist Steve Lansing guides the viewer on an exploration of the Indonesian, temple-based, civilization of Bali, which is coming to terms with the technological West. Shows how Balinese religion unites and involves the people at every level of society. 3/4 in. 1988. 60 min. Video/C 348

Timor-Leste: o sonho do crocodilo

As leader of the world's newest country, Xanana Gusmao, really knows about fighting for freedom and democracy. He became the symbol of East Timor's fight for freedom when he masterminded the campaign that led to independence. This documentary is the moving account of how he succeeded; from the birth of the guerrilla movement to the bloody aftermath; an incredible tale of East Timor's struggle for self-government. Language tracks and subtitles In Portuguese and English. 2003. 140 min. DVD 8783

Tino the Fixer(Winds of Change)

Out of the chaos and violence in Indonesia emerges the story of one young man who is doing very well. Meet Tino the fixer-- the man who can make anything happen for a visiting foreign journalist in Indonesia-- from arranging a meeting with East Timor's militia leaders to getting reporters the latest insider scoop-- for a price. 2000. 13 min. Video/C 9626

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Trance and Dance in Bali

Presents a Balinese ceremonial dance drama in which the never-ending struggle between the witch and the dragon is played out to the accompaniment of comic interludes and violent trance seizures. Filmed at the village of Pagoetan, 1937-1939. 1991. 22 min. Video/C 2958

Transmigrasi, Journey to a New Life: A Story of Transmigration (Human Face of Indonesia)

Follows Pak Sannarto, a poor peasant from Java, and his family as they are being moved from their former home in Java to a new home on the island of Kalimantan in the hope of a better life and opportunities for them. 1990?. 30 min. Video/C 3078

A Trial in East Kalimantan: The Benoaq Dayak Resistance.

On the island of Kalimantan, a Dayak village organizes a sit-in to protest the destruction of their agricultural land and the desecration of sacred funeral sites by a multinational palm oil company. During the sit in, eleven community leaders are arrested on charges of vandalism. The film follows the fates of two young Dayak leaders, as they face a corrupt political and judicial system. 1999. 50 min. Video/C MM16

Tuti (Winds of Change)

Yani Afri didn't fit the profile of the other activists who disappeared during the protests that helped bring down the Suharto regime in Indonesia. He was simply a bus driver, albeit a bus driver whose sympathies lay with opposition leader Megawati. Yani's mother, Tuti, after her son's disappearance, began visiting every police and military base in Jakarta looking for answers. Six months after his abduction, and four months after Suharto's downfall, she still rages against the unresponsive military establishment. Together with families of other missing activists she tirelessly confronts military leaders on the street and in their offices. 2000. 52 min. Video/C 9624

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Van de kolonie niets dan goeds: Nederlands-Indie in Beeld, 1912-1942

Presents a collection of documentary films, including home movies, of the Dutch occupation of Indonesia shot between 1912 and 1942 with early ethnographic scenes of Java, Sumatra, Borneo and Bali. Includes footage of rubber, coffee and tea plantations and period native music and dance.

Contents: Bij de zeerobben van lamelarap (1926) -- Tocht per auto door weltevreden (1913) -- Volksgebruiken en kunst bij de karo-bataks (1917) -- Straatverkeer soerabaja (1929) -- Aankomst van een mail-stoomer te tandjong priok (1913) -- De sanghyangs (1926) -- Rubbercultuur op Sumatra's oostkust (1917) -- Palembang (1924-1930) -- Mina het dienstmeisje gaat inkoopen doen (1914) -- Familie Ledeboer: terugkeer naar Nederland (1926) -- De doodencultus bij de sadang toradja's (1921) -- Borneo (1919) -- Balikpapan (1924). [Amsterdam] : Filmmusuem, [2003]. 120 min. DVD 1837

Viva Timor Loro Sae: The Untold Story of the Struggle for East Timor's Independence

Describes the independence movement in East Timor, with footage of the Falintal, the military arm of East Timor's independence movement. Features interviews with survivors of atrocities carried out during the Indonesian invasion, interviews with East Timorese and Indonesian leaders and representatives of the United Nations UNAMET, and scenes of voters at the polls. 2000. 56 min. Video/C MM727

Vote for Your Life: 2004 General Election in Aceh

A news documentary regarding the 2004 Indonesian General Election in the villages of Aceh. Shows the General Election process including assistance by military and police in what was presented as "security preparation." The so-called "security" included civilians in para-military groups with a double mission: securing the election and crushing GAM (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka). 2004. 17 min. DVD 7321

The Year of Living Vicariously

This split-screen documentary chronicles the shooting of the Indonesian film Gie (2005) in the middle of 2004, which is also when the country is undergoing its first direct presidential elections. Opinions from the cast, crew and extras of the film are sought on politics, filmmaking and the national myths of the past and present. They also speak about their memories of the Suharto years, their feelings about upcoming elections and their hopes for the future of Indonesia. Producer, director, Amir Muhammad. 2005. 63 min. DVD 7204

Weaving Democracy, Fighting Corruption (Menenun demokrasi, memberantas korupsi)

A documentary about a community in East Flores, Indonesia who was repressed by local government for revealing their mayor's corruption. Investigates this case which has attracted national attention in Indonesia. 2004. 22 min. DVD 6470

To the top

Australia/Melanesia

Bran nue dae

This film is structured around two main themes; the production of the musical entitled Bran Nue Dae and the life of Jimmy Chi. Both elements are interwoven with key participants, players in Jimmy's life and archival footage. The musical Bran Nue Dae, devised by Jimmy Chi, is the story of an Aboriginal boy's flight home from the city of Perth to his homeland at Djaridjin. His search for identity, love and security are shown through a blend of traditional Aboriginal music, rock and roll, blues and opera. Produced and directed by Tom Zubrycki. 1991. 55 min. DVD 9187

Cane Toads: An Unnatural History

Documents the history of the Cane toad in Australia. The cane toad - Bufo marinus - was imported to Australia in 1935 in an attempt to rid the country of the greyback beetle, which was devouring the sugarcane crop. Problem was, the beetle could fly, and the cane toad couldn't. What the cane toad was unusually proficient at, however, was making more cane toads. A humorous look at a serious problem. Written and directed by Mark Lewis. 1988. 65 min. DVD 7638; vhs Video/C 2787

Cannibal Tours

When tourists today journey to the farthest reaches of Papua New Guinea, is it the indigenous tribespeople or the white visitors who are the cultural oddity? This documentary explores the differences and the similarities that emerge when the two groups meet within the context of organized "travel adventure tours." 1987. 77 min. Video/C 2485

Childhood Rivalry in Bali and New Guinea

Coming of Age (Strangers Abroad: Pioneers of Social Anthropology; 1)

Chronicles the life and career of Margaret Mead, one of the most controversial anthropologists and fieldworkers of her day. Video/C 3855

Couldn't Be Fairer

With unflinching honesty, this documentary depicts the alcoholism, racial violence and political oppression still facing Australia's Aboriginal people. The story is told using historical and contemporary footage and narrated by aboriginal activist Mick Miller. A film by Dennis O'Rourke. c1984. 50 min. Video/C MM259

Cunnamulla

In Cunnamulla, Queensland situated 800 kilometers west of Brisbane, and at the end of a railway line, aboriginal and white Australians live together but apart. This documentary presents the sometimes sad, often hilarious and astonishingly honest portrait of life in a small, isolated outback community. A film by Dennis O'Rourke. 1999. 82 min. Video/C MM258

Stocks, Ian. "The Troubles of Dennis O?Rourke." Senses of Cinema

Dance of the Warriors (Ring of Fire; 2)

Presents the ten-year voyage of two filmmakers, brothers Lorne and Lawrence Blair, through the islands of Indonesia. In this second segment the brothers sail to Komodo to visit the people and film the giant lizards, then move on to Sumba where they witness a veiled form of human sacrifice, and master weavers at work. The Sumbanese still live by ancient beliefs, keeping a balance between the gods of the sky and the goddess of the world below. Then the brothers move 5,000 years into the past to live with Asmat headhunters in New Guinea, and eventually reach Bali. 1990. 58 min. Video/C 3583

Dead Birds.

Presents an ethnographic cross section of the life and customs of the Dani people who live in the Baliem Valley of West New Guinea. Describes a photographic and ethnographic study which was sponsored by the Peabody Museum from 1961 to 1963 of the Dani, a people dwelling in the Grand Valley of the Baliem, high in the mountains of West New Guinea. Written, photographed, and edited by Robert Gardner. 83 min. DVD 5497; vhs Video/C 4437

Presents the remarkable story of Stuart and Valerie Ankin, two Aboriginal elders who set out to save their community from cultural extinction by integrating traditional knowledge with contemporary scientific expertise. They invited scientists and marketing experts to help them develop natural resources commercially while ensuring all products were developed sustainably. This documentary shows how they harvested and marketed medicines, plants and seeds, fruit juices and other organic products, as well as crocodile eggs and baby turtles, which led to an economic revitalization of the North Coast that encouraged many Aborigines to return to their ancestral lands. Director, Christopher Walker. c2005. 50 min. DVD 5247

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Dreamings: The Art of Aboriginal Australia

This is a journey to the scarred heartlands and lush mangroves of Australia to see traditional Aboriginal artists at work. Explores the meaning and legends behind works of immense beauty, ranging from acrylic dot paintings of the Central Desert to cross hatched bark paintings and burial poles from Northern Australia. A Video by Janet Bell & Michael Riley. c1988. 30 min. Video/C 4491

Description from First Run/Icarus catalog

Familiar Places

Follows the efforts of a group of Australian Aborigines and an anthropologist as they map the traditional lands of an Aboriginal family that wishes to return to its homeland. Explains the politics of this Aboriginal movement of re-homestead old territorial lands (called "outstations"), and illustrates many of the problems faced by the returning natives. 1980. 53 min. Video/C 4440

Ileksen: Politics in Papua New Guinea.

This film documents Papua New Guinea's first general election in 1977, after the country became independent in 1975. A fascinating analysis of neo-colonial politics, the chief conflict was between the serving Prime Minister, Michael Somare, and the former Governor-General, Sir John Guise. Produced and directed by Dennis O'Rourke and Gary Kildea. 1978. 58 min. Video/C MM262

Land of the Morning Star.

The western half of the island of New Guinea has been known by many names including Netherlands New Guinea, West Papua, Irian Jaya and Papua. This documentary reveals the turbulent history of the country, swept up in the power-play of international politics. Using current and historical film clips, looks at the treatment of the indigenous Melanesian people and highlights the political role of the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, Indonesia and the UN at crucial points in the country's history. Includes interviews with exiled political leader Clemens Runaweri, among others. Written and directed by Mark Worth. c2003. 55 min. Video/C MM60

Description from Filmakers Library catalog

Malbangka Country

n the 1970's many Aboriginal people left government and church settlements to live again in their traditional lands - the 'outstation' movements. This film is about one such family. Gustav Malbangka and his family lived at Hermannsburg Mission in Central Australia, they left to set up permanent base at Gustav's father's country at Gilbert Springs. Directed by Curtis Levy. 1975. 30 min. Video/C MM613

The Serpent and the Cross

Explores the work of Aboriginal artists and examines the controversies that surround their work. c1991. 55 min. Video/C 4511

Shadow Master

An inside view of Balinese life which reveals the cultural context of theater, music, and dance on the island. It is a dramatization of events which occurred during the filming process during the two years that the director spent living and studying with a dalang (shadow master) and his extended family. The film is narrated by the dalang's daughter and all members of the family are co-creators of the story. 54 min. Video/C 9839

Since the Company Came

The story of a