The Emerald Archipelago Documentary: Sydney Fundraiser Concert
Description
Please join us for an intimate house concert and Indonesian vegan (nut-free) fine cuisine, a beverage and dessert by "Just Ellen" cakes - in the heart of Sydney's inner west, for raising money for The Emerald Archipelago Documentary. The concert will feature solo performances by improvising musicians Keyna Wilkins, Liz Cheung, Saorise Prince, and Honora Ryan
A Canadian, Australian, Indonesian Production, Suling Bamboo Productions presents "The Emerald Archipelago" Documentary!
An Archipelago of Lesbian, Bisexual, Queer, and Trans Voices Rising in Contemporary Indonesia. Join us in Sydney for an intimate piano and flute concert fundraising event to support the completion of a groundbreaking, new international independent Documentary.
Film Website: www.emeraldarchfilm.com
In collaboration with 2 Canadian producers & co-cinematographers (Melissa & Jay), and a Dutch Sociologist, Saskia Wieringa (the author behind this documentary's inspiration), this event will be joined by the film participants Tara x Mattel & Fikri Arya, Sydney's very own multi-award-winning Queer Australian-Indonesian director Alfred Pek, Sydney's very own Trans-woman Musician, Composer, & Pianist Saoirse Prince, Non-Binary Flautist & Chinese Bowed Strings performer Liz Cheung. and a duo performance by the talented Pianist & Singer Honora Ryan with the legendary Australian Musician & Composer Keyna Wilkins.
Doors open at 6 pm! Tickets include:
The Concerts & Poetry Performance,
Exclusive Previews, Q&A Talks,
Vegan Indonesian main meal and dessert,
and a choice of alcoholic beverages.
(Original Stills from The Emerald Archipelago Documentary)
Schedule:
6 pm: Doors Open, including your Meal and Beverage time
6:30 pm: Introduction by director Alfred Pek, our International Producers, and Saskia Wieringa
6:45 pm: Original compositions and improvisations by Keyna Wilkins, Liz Cheung, Saoirse Prince, and Honora Ryan
7:45 pm: Short Break
8 pm: Exclusive Film Previews & Film Q&A time
Quite often, people in the Global North assumes that queer individuals in Indonesia are uniformly persecuted. Such blanket statements about the Indonesian archipelago ignore the diverse cultural and beliefs within Australia's largest neighbour. Conservative forces have indeed rallied against LGBTQI people, sex outside marriage has been recently criminalised, and institutional discrimination is widespread. But Indonesian queers are surviving and fighting back, often in unexpected ways.
This film will showcase and challenge the idea that queer behaviour is an introduced notion – lesbian and trans folks, the focus of the film, are shown decolonising their identity from Western labels and reclaiming indigenous understandings of gender and sexuality. Amid the climate of oppression, faith community, poetry, dance, and ritual become tools for survival - and empowerment, which is rediscovered from within Indonesian culture itself, and recreated today through ancestral memory, community building, and the courage of individuals.
(Original Stills from The Emerald Archipelago Documentary)
It is time Lesbians, Bisexual, and Trans community from the world's largest invisible nation and Australia's largest neighbour have the platform and the opportunity to speak up, share their stories, and remind us of what's at stake in today's ever-changing world. Join us in supporting the completion of this film and hear the voices from the Emerald Archipelago team to share their insights and help us share the message of collaboration and solidarity for the Queer Indonesian community for the rest of the world.
And if you cannot attend but would like to support us anyway, no problem! We have a donation page in the prompts. And don't hesitate to email us at sulingbambooproductions@gmail.com for further questions.
And keep up to date with the film's progress on their social media links below:
https://www.instagram.com/emeraldsarchfilm/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555527294868
https://www.threads.com/@emeraldsarchfilm
(Original Stills from The Emerald Archipelago Documentary)
Lineup
Liz Yung Cheung
is a performer-improviser specialising in low flutes and Chinese bowed strings. They perform solo and with Adelante Tango, the DeeBeeTees, Dreambox Collective, and appears as guest artist with various other ensembles, including Meow Meow Casio.
Saoirse Prince
She's a pianist and composer whose music blends melancholic piano with whimsical storytelling. Her debut album "Late Winter" embraces a wide dynamic range, from soft, pretty moments to powerful chromatic passages.
Honora Ryan
She is a singer and pianist trained at the Sydney Conservatorium, exploring improvisation since early 2026.
Keyna Wilkins
She been described as a "powerhouse player" by Jazz Journal UK, with "particularly fine nuanced playing throughout" by Limelight Magazine. She is a pioneering Australian/British composer-musician and was one of three finalists for the Australian Art Music Awards for Individual Excellence in 2021 and 2018.
Tara x Mattel
Queer Couple Content Creator, Digital Marketer, and a Lesbian Community Advocate in Indonesia Tara & Mattel first met back in 2004, but life took us in different directions, and we had to go our separate ways. For many years, Tara tried to follow a heteronormative path, believing it would lead to happiness—only to realize it didn’t truly fulfill her. In 2018, they found a way back to each other and made the brave decision to fight for our love and build a life together as a couple. They believe in being our truest selves; that’s why they choose to show up, be visible on social media, and live proudly and honestly within our community and society.
Fikri Arya
Fikri Arya is a trans-men Islamic Scholar, activist, and the founder of Peduli Napas, & Teman Pulihmu (Meditation, Trauma Healing, & Therapy organisations). Growing up in a pesantren culture and having served as a teacher, Fikri Abdillah, also known as Fikri Arya, now fulfills a unique role as a holistic practitioner and certified singing bowl therapist. He is active in intersectional activism networks that champion diversity in faith, gender, and sexuality. Fikri presents a synthesis of religious tradition, spiritual practice, and social advocacy, creating a space where inner healing and the struggle for identity can coexist and strengthen each other.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
