Another Border

As climate change and global conflict intensify, border politics are feeding an everyday humanitarian crisis. But the displacement of 82 million people across the globe cannot be ignored. Here, Australia's nefarious border policy is put under the spotlight.

The film’s director, Tessa Rex, is one of the few people who have filmed the open migrant prisons that are Australian-funded in Indonesia. A semi-covert mission, she had a handheld camera to avoid drawing attention, although she invariably did, at a point she was followed by the police.

Hidden in the high-rises of Indonesia, Rex found these dark places, funded by Australian taxes, where thousands of men, women and children continue to live in a Kafka-esque, endless and human-less status.

The film takes a highly political issue and makes it personal. It asks: what is a border? Where does the Australian border really end? And what borders have we, as audiences, constructed in our hearts to be able to live with this situation?

The film puts Australia's nefarious border policy under the spotlight and ignites audiences to act. In partnership with not-for-profit collaborators, audiences will be encouraged to write to their MPs, support local advocacy, and connect up with local action to support refugee-led advocacy in Australia.

We will be guided by the campaign priorities of our stakeholder partners, which are open to change during the impact campaign.

Short-term outcomes
Emotion, and connection to refugees
Increased awareness, including mainstream media coverage, of the fact that Australia is investing in open prisons in Indonesia

Medium-term outcomes
Engaging, informative resources developed for the Australian public to take action and encourage elected representatives to take action on the issue
Stakeholders utilising short clips and the feature to generate further understanding of the issue
A website to optimise the ability to utilise the resources for social impact during, and beyond, the life of the feature

Long-term outcomes
Not for profits and advocacy groups better equipped to lead conversations on regional refugee policy

The lead protagonists are available for q & a experiences for audiences. Our method of distribution will also be key in achieving the outcome via an impact campaign, partnering with local organisations with a clear pathway for audiences to act after watching the film, and gaining insight into the reality of Australia's nefarious border policy. In partnership with not-for-profit collaborators, audiences will be encouraged to write to their MPs, support local advocacy, and connect up with local action to support refugee-led advocacy in Australia. A website will be designed as a hub of learning resources and a place for audiences to easily take action after seeing the film. The film will be gifted to the organisations involved in the impact campaign to use for fundraising and storytelling after release.

All of the team behind the film have years of experience working in the refugee and asylum seeker refugee space, and are closely connected with refugee-led advocacy to advance the broader conversation about the rights of migrants in Australia. Producer Nicole Curby made the award winning podcast about refugees in Indonesia, The Wait. Producer Leeanne Torpey formerly led the Global Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children, and has worked extensively with the key organisations in Australia and the region.

An impact campaign in partnership with one of our NGO collaborators will encourage audiences to take action after watching the film, writing to their MPs, supporting local advocacy, and connecting up with local action which supports refugee led advocacy in Australia.

A list of target audiences, with specific actions to be undertaken after viewing the series are listed below.

Carers / guardians of children:
Take action using website
Use the show resources
Host screenings

Not-For-Profits, NGOs, Peak bodies:
Contribute to development of website and action for audiences
Host screenings and panels
Recruit new members for advocacy work
Fundraise around film
Feature resources on the films website

MPs and Justice Agencies:
# screenings
Legislation support
Media coverage, traditional and non traditional

A list of target audiences, with success indicators are listed below:

Carers / guardians of children:
# website traffic
# resource use
# of screenings

Not-For-Profits, NGOs, Peak bodies:
Quality of site
#website traffic
# of screenings
# panels and quality of speakers
$fundraised using film
Size of distribution list

MPs and Justice Agencies:
# screenings
Legislation support