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Australia withdraws funds for Jakarta film festival because of films about David Hicks and Aboriginal struggle

Jakarta International Film Festival Statement - December 11, 2005

We are shocked and disappointed by the Australia-Indonesia Institute's (AII's) last-minute withdrawal of support for this year's Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest) -- funds that were committed fully five months ago in support of Australian films and workshops at this year's festival.

Less than 24 hours before the festival's opening, the AII -- which operates under the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs -- informed JiFFest of the withdrawal of their support because four Australian films being screened at the event "do not meet the objectives of the AII as set out in the Guidelines." The films are: The President Vs David Hicks, Dhakiyarr Vs the King, We have Decided Not to Die and Garuda's Deadly Upgrade.

We are amazed that such a decision should be conveyed to us barely 24 hours before the opening of JiFFest 2005, when AII's concerns could have been expressed at any point between July 2005 (when the grant was awarded) and a few weeks before the festival -- at which point it still would have been feasible to discuss the program content or seek alternative funding.

Since JiFFest operates on an extremely tight budget, this last-minute withdrawal of funds will have a very damaging impact on the festival.

At no point did the AII ask to review the films JiFFest selected (or even their titles), or advise JiFFest of any review process. JiFFest does not understand why the films it selected supposedly "do not meet the objectives of the AII", particularly since The President Vs David Hicks, Dhakiyarr Vs the King have been approved for screening by the Indonesian censor board.

Even if the AII disapproves of the specific films listed above, JiFFest fails to understand why they have withdrawn the entire sum of their grant to the festival, including funds that support master class workshops for Indonesian filmmakers, which represent 45% of the AII grant. Surely this workshop activity is a classic example of "developing relations between Australia and Indonesia by promoting greater mutual understanding" between the countries, to quote AII's own program goals. We therefore regret that this important activity is being sacrificed.

Now in its 7th year, JiFFest has gained a proud reputation as an independent festival dedicated to quality films and the important messages they carry, particularly on the subject of human rights and social justice. We have therefore never allowed funding to influence our film selection, either as a carrot or a stick.

Orlow Seunke, JiFFest's Director, said "JiFFest will go ahead and screen these films anyhow, as a matter of principle, although the festival must now pay out of its own limited coffers. I hope audiences in Jakarta will now show up in even greater numbers to view what the Australian government is apparently so worried about them seeing. All four films will be screened free of charge."

For Further information:

Tel: 021-31925115
Email: info@jiffest.org
Web: www.jiffest.org.
 

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