Two films that showcase the struggles of Indonesian women
The Indonesian Pluralities project, created by Robert W. Hefner and Zainal Abidin Bagir, was a multimedia initiative focused on studying pluralism and conflict in Indonesia. Two of the films in the series of documentaries they produced focused specifically on struggles for gender equality.
Three Voices (36 minutes) showcased how the women’s movement has had a long history in the country, involving activism and organizing from women across religious communities. The film established how Muslim women, from different ideological backgrounds and political affiliations, contributed to the fight for equality for Indonesian women. It follows the lives of three women from three different religious organizations representing various perspectives on women’s issues, and paying particular attention to the activism surrounding the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (PKS).
Executive Producers: Andhy Panca Kurniawan, Dandhy Dwi Laksono | Senior Producers: Robert W. Hefner, Zainal Abidin Bagir |Director: Ari Trismana | Lead Researcher: Samsul Maarif
A Return to Peace (36 minutes) focuses on the efforts of the Ambonese – and especially Ambonese women – to return to a life of relatively peaceful coexistence today, some 20 years after the worst of the Maluku violence. The film juxtaposes flashbacks on the Ambon violence with person-centered accounts of the efforts of men and women to bring about some measure of reconciliation across faith traditions. This moving documentary account has won broad acclaim among viewers in Indonesia.
