In Focus

Batoor’s film provides a personal lens to go beyond the headlines. We see into the dangers and risks faced by photojournalists who work in conflict zones, seeking to document human stories amidst the chaos and violence.

We feel what it is like to risk your life on the wide open sea. Thousands have died in the seas between Indonesia and Australia, yet policies that encourage asylum seekers continue to flourish worldwide as conflict continues to escalate.

This film highlights how photojournalism can provoke emotion and deliver a message with impact; highlighting the plight of thousands of people who remain stuck in Indonesia, beyond the hype of a headline.

We aim to use this film to bridge the gap between audiences and the real experiences of journalists covering conflicts. By providing a deeply personal and authentic perspective, we hope to shed light on the challenges, dangers, and ethical dilemmas faced by these dedicated professionals. We are committed to supporting and enabling mainstream recognition of narratives directed by people with lived experience, not just in the context of asylum seekers but across all aspects of storytelling. Our vision is to contribute to a shift in the industry toward more inclusive, diverse, and authentic narratives. We believe that these stories hold immense power and deserve a prominent place in the global conversation.

The impact campaign uses preview screenings, panel conversations and targeted social media to:
– Amplify the lived experience of asylum seekers and support emerging filmmakers from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, specifically setting Batoor up to continue his career as a filmmaker and develop his skills
– Build mainstream community support for journalists, refugees and asylum seekers;
– Curate education opportunities alongside the documentary that deepens audience engagement with the value of photojournalism and first person storytelling
– Champion and build significant support for partner organisations the Asia Pacific Network, who are raising the plight of refugees and asylum seekers stuck in Indonesia

As an impact producer, Leeanne Torpey has worked on a number of relevant titles and mobilized significant communities including Ithaka: A Fight To Free Julian Assange and Big Deal: Is Our Democracy For Sale. She also has a background in refugee and asylum seeker advocacy, heading up the Global Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children and working extensively with the vast majority of refugee and asylum seeker organizations in the region. Batoor works at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre now and continues to freelance as a photojournalist. He is well connected in the Hazara and journalist community. The film is also partnering with the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees (APNOR) is the refugee-led network that aims to ensure all forcibly displaced persons in the region are able to access their human rights and full potential.

The call to action needs to be designed with our partners to ensure that it contributes to the movement that will continue to take place well beyond the life of the documentary.
At this stage it is envisioned that audiences will:
1. Take action to make their voices heard in the next federal election – they may join ongoing work coordinated by one of our member organisations, they may write or meet with their member, they may take part in a targeted action coordinated by our partner organisations that promotes the rights of photojournalists and asylum seekers
2. Donate to the Asia Pacific Network of Refugees