by Kino Media Foundation

The Kino Media Foundation is an organisation that encourages the creation of a diverse and empowered society through film culture and/or short films. Together with the filmmaker from Bali, Nirartha Bas Diwangkara, they raised an issue that has not been visible to the surface of the Indonesian public regarding gender-based violence in the Balinese spiritual environment. They raised this through a film called Where the Wild Franggipanis Grow.

Thiz amazing film had its world premiere as a part of the Special Program in Focus Renaissance of Indonesian Cinema at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) 2023, South Korea. It served as a great momentum to raise the issue through an international screening to reach more audiences, especially people outside the Indonesian context. The BIFF 2023 was a fitting platform because it is an ideal hub to start the dialogue and education about gender-based violence occuring in various types of communities.

 

“When I was in Busan and in the question and answer session after the screening, some of the audience were surprised that the issue of gender-based sexual violence in Bali’s spiritual environment actually existed, which was beyond the expectations of those who thought Bali was only a beautiful tourism destination. The challenge I received was more to provide objective information that although Bali has a story more than tourism, it is also important to give a voice to the voiceless which in this context the survivor of sexual violence” – Nirartha Bas Diwangkara