Dragon Island

The Great Post Road

May 1996 •Indonesian

Road movie-style documentary about the Great Post Road (De Groote Postweg/Jalan Raya Pos). Pramoedya Ananta Toer (1925), one of the most important Indonesian authors of recent decades, wrote an essay about the Great Post Road at the request of director Bernie IJdis. This thousand-kilometer road across Java was built at the beginning of the last century under the leadership of the Dutchman Daendels and cost the lives of thousands of Indonesian forced laborers. Because Toer, as a former political prisoner, is restricted in his freedom of movement, the filmmakers act as his eyes and ears during a trip along the Post Road. During the journey, parallels between Indonesia in the past and present slowly unfold. In addition, as the film progresses, the grimness of Toer's situation and the situation in his country becomes palpable.

War Photographer

November 2001 •English

Documentary about war photographer James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever.

The Look of Silence

November 2014 •English

An optician grapples with the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-1966, during which his older brother was exterminated.

Video Visits: Bali - A Window on Paradise

January 1990 •English

A comprehensive tour of the beautiful Indonesian island of Bali - its slumbering volcanoes, mountain lakes, lush green rice paddies and intricate temples. Bali, despite its dependence on tourism, still retains its vital four thousand year old culture. The video takes us to Lake Bratan; Ubud, the country’s cultural centre; Mas, famous for its carved wood masks; the port of Singaraja and the beaches of Sanur.

Guilty

October 2017 •English

A film about convicted drug smuggler Myuran Sukumaran, who became an accomplished artist before he was executed by firing squad in Indonesia in April 2015.

Venom Islands

January 2012 •English

Venom expert Dr. Bryan Fry embarks on a dangerous island journey to uncover the deadly secrets of vipers, stonefish and the formidable Komodo dragon.

The Last Book

October 2019 •German

The film focuses on the exciting life journey of Swiss writer Katharina Zimmermann. She follows her husband on a mission to the jungle in Indonesia where she raises their four children and five foster children and lives through the military coup. Back in Switzerland Katharina discovers her voice and finds her path. Now, at eighty, she is writing her life story. Yet suddenly she faces another battle because her publisher is threatening to let her go.

Position Among the Stars

March 2011 •Indonesian

Through the eyes of grandmother Rumidjah, a poor old Christian woman living in the slums of Jakarta, we see the economical changing society of Indonesia and the influence of globalization reflected in the life of her juvenile granddaughter Tari and her sons Bakti and Dwi.

Gaze of a Defender to a Striker

June 2023 •English

In the uncertainty of Indonesian football conditions, Aldian is trying to survive amidst the league stoppage while Ronaldo strives to become a football athlete.

The Burning Season

August 2008 •English

Dorjee Sun, a young Australian Entrepreneur, believes there's money to be made from protecting rainforests in Indonesia, saving the orangutan from extinction and making a real impact on climate change. Armed with a laptop and a backpack, he sets out across the globe to find investors in his carbon trading scheme. It is a battle against time. Achmadi, the palm oil farmer is ready to set fire to his land to plant more palm oil, and Lone's orangutan centre has reached crisis point with over 600 orangutans rescued from the fires. The Burning Season is an eco-thriller about a young man not afraid to confront the biggest challenge of our time.

Bunda Reinha - Celebrating 500 Years of Tuan Ma

December 2010 •Indonesian

Land of the Morning Star

January 2003 •English

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. It is an extraordinary place where snow-capped mountains drain into massive rivers and 250 languages are spoken. For centuries, the world has jostled for control of this rugged, isolated region, with its abundant natural resources and strategic position. Through eyewitness accounts and rare archival film, this fascinating documentary paints a picture that is intimate in detail but epic in scope. It is a sweeping saga of colonial ambitions, cold war sellouts and fervent nationalism, which highlights the role of players such as Australia and the UN at crucial points.

Indonesia Calling

August 1946 •English

Filmed secretly in Sydney by Dutch documentarian Joris Ivens, this short records the solidarity of Indonesian seamen, Australian trade unionists, and local activists who refused to support Dutch efforts to restore colonial rule after World War II. More than a chronicle, it was an act of protest that aligned cinema with the Indonesian independence movement.

SOERA ING BAJA: Gemuruh Resolusi '45

January 2023 •Indonesian

A description of the events that occurred after the proclamation of Indonesian independence in Surabaya until the national battle of Surabaya occurred. The central government designated November 10 as Heroes' Day and built a Heroes Monument to commemorate this great event.

They are Called Junkmobile

June 2019 •English

A group of volunteers unite to spread happiness through effortless measures from the internet.

The Violence Is Always Happening Somewhere Else

April 2025 •Indonesian

Aftermath – The second flood

October 2014 •English

After the destructions that where caused by the tsunami, the insulars of an Indian archipelago are rolled over by another surge of ruination: the flood of international aid organizations, which pluck this premodern civilisation into the 21st century. The film depicts the partially heroic attempts of the Nicobareses, to live in this world without drowning.

Java, l'âme de l'Indonésie

June 2019 •French

Earning Rupiah From Scrap Metal

May 2024 •Indonesian

Some Madurese choose to live outside their homeland, migrating to build a better life. Surabaya has become one of the destination cities for the Madurese people. They work hard, pursuing various professions. some of them are owning a scrap metal business.

Operation Orangutan

April 2015 •English

A rehabilitation centre in western Kalimantan in Borneo aims to rescue and rehabilitate injured and orphaned orangutans for release back into the wild.