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About
About RAI Film
Meet the team
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Film Distribution
Watch on demand
Ethnographic Film Catalogue
Teaching resources
RAI Film Festival
About RAI Film Festival
Film Festival 2025
Film Festival 2025 Group passes
Film Festival prizes and awards
Film Conference 2025
Archive of past editions
RAI FILM
Login
Facebook
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Twitter
About
About RAI Film
Meet the team
Prices
Film Distribution
Watch on demand
Ethnographic Film Catalogue
Teaching resources
RAI Film Festival
About RAI Film Festival
Film Festival 2025
Film Festival 2025 Group passes
Film Festival prizes and awards
Film Conference 2025
Archive of past editions
Menu
About
About RAI Film
Meet the team
Prices
Film Distribution
Watch on demand
Ethnographic Film Catalogue
Teaching resources
RAI Film Festival
About RAI Film Festival
Film Festival 2025
Film Festival 2025 Group passes
Film Festival prizes and awards
Film Conference 2025
Archive of past editions
Login
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Films
14 Films
Country
“Indonesia”
x
Country of production
“Australia”
x
films with a digital version
2
short films
8
films available on demand
2
Region
South-East Asia
14
Country
Indonesia
14
x
Keywords
Animals
1
Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany
1
Archival material / Museum displays
1
Art / Artists / Artisans
1
Dance / Theatre / Performance
2
Death
3
Development projects
1
Environment
1
Family / Kinship
1
Food / Water
1
Health / Health care / Healing
4
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing
1
Linguistics / Language
1
Marriage
1
Political Activists
1
Possession
2
Prison
1
Reflexivity
1
Religion / Belief / Faith
2
Reproduction (biology)
1
Ritual
8
Socioeconomic conditions
1
Directors
Asch, Patsy
9
Asch, Timothy
8
Colucci, Erminia
1
Connor, Linda
5
Forge, Anthony
1
Fox, J.
1
Fox, James J.
1
Palmer, Lisa
1
Richter, Thomas
1
Vischer, Michael P.
1
Series
ANU, Indonesia Series
12
Shorts Collection 2
1
not set
1
Country of production
Australia
14
x
Indonesia
1
Italy
1
United Kingdom
1
United States
2
Year of production
1973
1
1980
2
1983
3
1988
1
1991
1
1992
2
1996
1
2000
1
2015
1
2019
1
Film list
A Balinese Trance Séance
1980
46
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Linda Connor
.
Jero Tapakan is ‘entered’ by deities and spirits who converse with her clients. Unbeknown to her, they wish to contact the spirit of their dead son to learn the cause of his death and his wishes
South-East Asia
Death
Possession
Ritual
Breaking the Chains
2015
64
‘
Student
Directed by
Erminia Colucci
.
The practice of using shackles and chains to physically restrain people with mental illness (known as pasung) is widespread in Indonesia (as in many other developing/low middle income countries) and
South-East Asia
Prison
Health / Health care / Healing
Political Activists
Development projects
A Celebration of Origins: Wai Brama, Flores, Indonesia
1992
45
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Patsy Asch
.
This film is a record of the gren mahe rituals of the people of the domain of Wai Brama. The gren mahe is the largest religious event of the Wai Brama ceremonial system and requires the participation
South-East Asia
Ritual
Religion / Belief / Faith
Consulting Embah Wali
2000
42
‘
Directed by
Patsy Asch
.
These companion films (ANU Indonesia Series, DVD $ examine the philosophy and ritual practices of the followers of a holy man popularly known as Embah Wali. The movement, centred in Blitar, East
South-East Asia
Ritual
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Contestations
1996
55
‘
Directed by
Michael P. Vischer
Thomas Richter
.
The recording follows a journey from the island of Palu’e to the mainland to purchase water buffalo. Back at Palu’e, a series of sacrifices is held to make amends for transgressions. The events, part
South-East Asia
Ritual
In the Play of Life: a wayang performance in East Java
1992
25
‘
Directed by
Patsy Asch
.
These companion films examine the philosophy and ritual practices of the followers of a holy man popularly known as Embah Wali. The movement, centred in Blitar, East Java, regards wayang as a model
South-East Asia
Ritual
Religion / Belief / Faith
Dance / Theatre / Performance
Jero Tapakan: Stories from the life of a Balinese Healer
1983
26
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Linda Connor
Patsy Asch
.
Jero beings with an account of her family’s extreme poverty that culminated in her desire to leave her family and travel as a pedlar. She describes mystical experiences that led her to recognise
South-East Asia
Health / Health care / Healing
Socioeconomic conditions
Jero on Jero: A Balinese Trance Séance Observed
1980
16
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Linda Connor
Patsy Asch
.
For the first time Jero sees herself on film as she watches ‘A Balinese Trance Séance’. Her spontaneous comments provide insights into her feelings while possessed, her understanding of her
South-East Asia
Possession
Reflexivity
Health / Health care / Healing
The Medium is the Masseuse: a Balinese Massage
1983
31
‘
Directed by
Timothy Asch
Linda Connor
Patsy Asch
.
Jero uses massage and traditional medicines to treat Ida Bagus, who suffers from sterility and seizures. Through her treatment and her words, Jero reveals her conceptions of the human body, the
South-East Asia
Health / Health care / Healing
Reproduction (biology)
Ngarap: fighting over a corpse
1973
17
‘
Directed by
Anthony Forge
.
In 1993, Anthony Forge filmed the cremation of an older woman from an affluent ‘commoner’ family. As her body was moved from her family compound to the cremation tower, men of the ward seized the
South-East Asia
Death
Ritual
Art / Artists / Artisans
Archival material / Museum displays
Releasing the Spirits: a village cremation in Bali
1991
44
‘
Directed by
Patsy Asch
Linda Connor
Timothy Asch
.
In 1978, as part of the preparations for the island-wide ceremony eka dasa rudra, religious officials urged all Balinese to cleanse the island by cremating their dead. Many were forced to pool
South-East Asia
Death
Ritual
Spear and Sword: a Payment of Bridewealth on the Island of Roti
1988
22
‘
Directed by
James J. Fox
Timothy Asch
Patsy Asch
.
The film begins as the groom’s side gathers the animals and money for a bridewealth payment, and discusses problems that might arise in negotiating the exchange. In ritual silence, they walk to the
South-East Asia
Ritual
Marriage
Family / Kinship
The Water of Words: a cultural ecology of a small island in Eastern Indonesia
1983
30
‘
Directed by
J. Fox
Timothy Asch
Patsy Asch
.
This film examines the ecology and poetry of everyday life. Two Rotinese narrate this film, each offering his perception of the importance of the Lontar (Borassus) palm: a clan leader describes the
South-East Asia
Archaeobotany / Ethnobotany
Linguistics / Language
Environment
Wild Honey: Caring for bees in a divided land
2019
30
‘
Directed by
Lisa Palmer
.
For more than a century, the island of Timor has been divided by a colonial border. Timor’s migratory wild honey bees challenge this division. In community honey harvest rituals, queen bees are
South-East Asia
Animals
Food / Water
Hunting / Gathering / Fishing