Events

Title: Sexy Killers
Directors: Dandhy Laksono, Suparta Arz
Length of Film: 88 minutes

There will be a discussion session after the film screening.

CHAIRPERSON

Dr Michelle Miller, Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore

SYNOPSIS OF FILM

What is the actual cost of development? Who bear those costs? Sexy Killers portrays the social, economic, and environmental consequences of Indonesia’s energy dependency on coal. Starting with environmental damages of coal mining, the documentary continues to follow the flow of coal to its destination, tracing the impacts of coal industry to nature and to societies. Sexy Killers also traces the political economic forces behind Indonesia’s coal, which include familiar names in the national political and business landscapes.

As Indonesia continues to pursue its ambitions to be one of the major economic powerhouses in the world, the country is projected to increase coal demands up to five times by 2050 to meet energy requirements. The obsession towards development for economic growth has pushed the coal sector to become one of the main funders of political actors on various levels. Sexy Killers is a reminder to look at the various costs of these developments and to address environmental and social injustices.

Sexy Killers is the latest and final full feature documentary film from WatchdoC’s Ekspedisi Indonesia Biru (Blue Indonesia Expedition) series. Ekspedisi Indonesia Biru was a 365-day journey by two WatchdoC journalists on motorcycles more than 20,000 km around Indonesia in 2015 to record the struggles of communities in safeguarding nature. Sexy Killers includes recent footages from a collaboration of 14 journalists and videographers. Other films in the series include Baduy, Kasepuhan Ciptagelar, Samin vs. Semen, Kala Benoa, Lewa di Lembata, Made in Siberut, The Mahuzes, Huhate, and Asymmetric.

About WatchDoc Documentary: Established in 2009 by Andhy Panca Kurniawan and Dandhy Dwi Laksono, WatchdoC is an audiovisual production house that have produced 165 documentary films, 715 titles for national television, and no less than 45 titles of commercial and non-commercial videos that have obtained various awards. Prior to joining WatchdoC, Andhy Panca Kurniawan was the Lead Editor of KBR Voice of Human Right and Saluran Informasi Akar Rumput (Grassroots Information Channel / SIAR). He was also the founder of Bakubae, a peace media in Maluku. Dandhy Dwi Laksono is a journalist of print, radio, online and television media. He is the author of “Indonesia for Sale” and Jurnalisme Investigasi (Investigative Journalism). He is the founder of peace media in Aceh, acehkita.com.

ABOUT THE DISCUSSANTS

Ari Trismana is a producer at WatchdoC Documentary Maker. From 2018 to 2019, he was at the Centre for Religious and Cross Cultural Studies (CRCS) at Universitas Gadjah Mada to produce a series of documentary films on pluralism and tolerance in Indonesia. Ari is actively involved in discussions and workshops on producing documentary films in various Indonesian campuses and communities.

Maribeth Erb is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. She has been conducting anthropological research on ritual, myth, politics and tourism in western Flores in eastern Indonesia, since the early 1980’s, resulting in various publications. She is presently working on a book manuscript on her most recent research project on mining, the environment and social movements in East Nusa Tenggara province.

REGISTRATION

This event is open to NUS staff and students, and invited participants only. We would greatly appreciate if you RSVP to Ms Tay Minghua via email: minghua.tay@nus.edu.sg.