When The War Ends, A Woman's Fight Begins
The Peace Agency is a new feature documentary film by Sue Useem and Spotted Frog Productions
About The Film
Lian Gogali and her 500 female students are a force to be reckoned with the conflict torn area of Poso, Indonesia. They are part of a powerful and successful movement for peace and justice in an area that has been racked by inter-religious violence for over a decade.
But five years ago, Lian was just a single mother living in rural Poso with a broken leg and a big dream to educate marginalized women. The Peace Agency follows her remarkable journey from her village to New York City to create The Women’s School, an institution that transforms its all-female class into agents of peace and non-violence grassroots activism that has altered the course of the conflict in Poso, and possibly the future of Indonesia.
6+ Years
Filmed over a six year period on location in Indonesia
Massive Scope
1000+ hours of raw footage
Kickstarter Backed
Supported by 184 backers and fiscally sponsored by Docs in Progress
From The Director
When I came to Lian’s house in Poso in 2010 to pay a visit after finishing my first documentary about the Poso conflict, I had no plans on making a new documentary there. Since I had seen her last, she had become a single mother and was trying to recover from her accident, all while fighting Tuberculosis. When she told me she was holding classes for women on her front porch I considered the idea of making a short documentary about it in order to help her promote the idea. I had no idea what journey both of us were about to embark on. The result is The Peace Agency.
For the last four years I have been traveling to Poso back and forth to capture what she worked so hard for, which gave me intimate access to her life and story. At first, I thought it was her personal story that would be the main topic of the film. I was frightened she would die of her injuries and illnesses, and it captured my attention for the first two years. When she was able to get the life and leg saving surgeries she needed, I was elated to see her take her school and movement to new heights I could have never imagined. With two legs, what more could she do? Turns out, a lot!
Along the way, as we both grew along with the expansion of the school and interfaith movement, I began to realize that this was simply too big of a story about the school and the fantastic women involved in it to not make that the center of this film. But it was never clear at the time that this film was going to have a happy ending. Would they get the funding they needed? Could Lian take groups of impoverished and traumatized women from across a huge area of remote Indonesia, and turn them not only into peacemakers, but agents of change for a better Indonesia? Or would Poso collapse back into violence?
When we got notice that she would be flying to New York with the chance of winning the Coexist Prize, I knew the redeeming moment for both of us had come. I could never have imagined how well it all would turn out. Since then, it has been nothing but good news. I struggled to decide where to end this film because so many new events kept on happening. In truth, there is no end to this social movement, and I can only hope to capture a few years of it and show what I can of it with the budget I had.
I am so grateful for Lian giving me the access to her life and story and for all of the people of Poso who have been so kind and welcoming to me over the years. It has truly been a transformational and humbling experience for everyone involved.
The Crew
SUE USEEM
DIRECTOR
Sue is an American documentary filmmaker and entrepreneur currently residing in Asia. “The Peace Agency” is her second feature film.
ERNEST HARIYANTO
EDITOR & WRITER
Ernest is an award winning documentary filmmaker and an accredited writer and editor.
MICHAEL LAWRENCE
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Michael Lawrence is a director and photographer with work stemming from a diversity of traveled interests, inspirations, and life experiences.
YOANES LITHA
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Yoanes is a talented and brave journalist for many national stations and the Voice of America (VOA) in Poso.
GEDE ROBI
COMPOSER
Gede Robi Supriyanto (Robi Navicula) is an Indonesian rock musician, activist, writer, and farmer.
ROB O'NEILL
COLORIST & GRAPHICS
Rob brings over thirty year’s experience in post-production to Asia and Australia starting a new venture with a team of collaborators over the globe called No Robots.
Film Festivals
Big Muddy Film Festival
February 20th, 2017
Carbondale, IL, USA
Women’s Rights Nights Film Festival
March 3, 2017
Skopje, Macedonia
Respect Belfast Human Rights Film Festival
March 5, 2017
Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
San Diego Women’s Film Festival
March 24, 2017
San Diego, CA, USA
New Haven International Film Festival
May 4, 2017
New Haven, CT, USA
Ubud Community Screening at Paradiso
June 25, 2017
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
MICGénero Film Festival
August 8, 2017
Mexico City, Mexico
MICGénero Film Festival
August 17, 2017
Xalapa, Mexico
Action on Film Festival
August 29, 2017
Las Vegas, NV
MICGénero Film Festival
August 31, 2017
Puebla, Mexico
MICGénero Film Festival
August 31, 2017
San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico
MICGénero Film Festival
September 5, 2017
Chilpancingo, Mexico
Festival Internacional de Cine de Fusagasugá
September 5, 2017
Fusagasugá, Colombia
Community Screening at Humanity House
Hosted by Mensen Met Een Missie
September 6, 2017
The Hague, Netherlands
MICGénero Film Festival
September 10, 2017
Taxco, Mexico
Community Screening at Little Talks Ubud
September 27, 2017
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Balinale Film Festival
September 28, 2017
Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Awareness Film Festival
October 15, 2017
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Black Bear Film Festival
October 22, 2017
Milford, PA, USA
VOX Feminae Film Festival
October 28, 2017
Zagreb, Croatia
Oregon State International Film Festival
November 4, 2017
Corvailles, OR, USA
Social Justice Film Festival
November 19, 2017
Seattle, WA, USA
Just Film Series @ Chatham University
December 6, 2017
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
FilmFest52 @ Old Castle Theater
December 8, 2017
Bennington, VT, USA
FilmFest52 @ Bethel Cinema
December 20th, 2017
Bethel, CT
Jaipur International Film Festival
January 7th, 2018
Jaipur, India
Southeast Asia x Seattle Film Festival
Best of Fest Award
January 25th, 2018
Seattle, WA, USA
World of Women Fair Middle East
February 5th, 2018
Dubai, UAE
Women’s Film Festival
March 11th, 2018
Brattleboro, VT, USA
The Women’s Film Festival
March 19th, 2018
Philadelphia, PA, USA
Pakistan International Film Festival
March 24th, 2018
Karachi, Pakistan
Cameroon International Film Festival
April 1st, 2018
Beau, Cameroon
CASCADIA Women’s Film Festival
April 11th, 2018
Bellingham, WA, USA
Green School Sustainable Solutions Festival
April 17th, 2018
Mambal, Bali, Indonesia
Oneota Film Film Festival
April 19th, 2018
Decorah, IA, USA
High Peak Independent Film Festival
June 16th, 2018
New Mills, UK
Full Bloom Film Festival
September 14th, 2018
Statesville, NC, USA
Afghanistan International Human Rights Film Festival
October 1, 2018
Kabul, Afghanistan
30th Paris International Lesbian & Feminist Film Festival
October 31st, 2018
Paris, France
FilmFest Frauenwelten Terre Des Femmes
November 22, 2018
Tübingen, Germany