Pesta Babi : Colonialism in our time has become so popular in Indonesia and abroad that

on May 14 organizers recorded around 130 simultaneous viewing locations.

There were over 30 attempts by then Indonesia security forces to close it down.

Rather than relying on commercial cinemas or subscription platforms, the documentary is circulated free of charge.

Any community able to gather at least 10 people can organize a screening and receive the film directly from its producers.

Since its release in March, screenings have spread rapidly across the country.

It had become so popular that some enterprising ( thieving ) people in Indonesia cloned the internet address of the film and sold it for $10 for a viewing.

To maximize the films viewing audience on 22nd May the film was made free to view on You tube and it went viral with over 2,459,508 downloads on that day.

We expect that as the film is free and highly popular that we will need to have several showings of the film.

The Event Cinema at The Exchange has seating for 155.

If that books out, we will release details of additional showings

Pesta Babi – Colonialism in our time, by Dandhy Laksono:

Synopsis of the film:

Yasinta Moiwend, a Marind Anim woman in Merauke, was startled when, on a quiet morning, a massive ship docked at her village pier. The vessel carried hundreds of excavators under escort by military forces, sent to Papua for a National Strategic Project for food production, palm-based biodiesel, and sugarcane bioethanol.

Vincen Kwipalo, from the Yei community, was likewise shocked when his clan’s land was suddenly marked with a sign reading: 'Property of the Indonesian Army'. Only later did he learn that the land had been seized for the construction of a military battalion headquarters, at the very moment when sugarcane, a plantation company, was also encroaching on his ancestral forest.

'Pig Feast' combines detailed field recordings with in-depth research to examine the power structures behind the operation. It exposes how government and corporate entities—collaborating with military and religious groups—advance international and national goals of 'food security' and 'energy transition' at the expense of Indigenous communities and landscapes.

The documentary illustrates the networks of Indonesian elites, oligarchs, and multinational corporations that benefit from the project, providing a vivid depiction of the political ecology of Indonesian governance in Papua. 'Pig Feast' serves as a record of colonialism that remains intact today.

About the director:

Dandhy Dwi Laksono is an Indonesian activist, investigative journalist, and filmmaker. He is known for his critical documentaries which look at how political and business interests collude to undermine democracy, infringe on human rights and destroy vulnerable natural and social environments in Indonesia. Born in East Java, Dandhy Laksono majored in International Relations at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, West Java, before founding the research-based documentary and audio-visual production house Watchdoc.

Contact the host of Pesta Babi : Colonialism in our time