Yogyakarta, August 20th 2021─LPPM Sintesa Fisipol UGM held a discussion with the title ‘The Struggle of the Motherland Women’. This event was divided into two sessions, namely the screening of the film “Our Mothers’ Land” and followed by a discussion session with the screenwriter and film producer, Febriana Firdaus. On this occasion, 35 participants participated in the discussion and discussed various experiences of Febriana Firdaus in producing films as well as her experiences in investigative journalism.
Starting this event, the screening of Our Mothers’ Land film was carried out before entering the discussion session. This film is the first work of Febriana Firdaus who was inspired by her experience as a woman until she finally decided to produce this work. As a documentary, this film raises the story of various women’s environmental fighters. Opened from the story of Kartini Kendeng, then the story of the movement in Luwuk in Sulawesi, to Nusa Tenggara and Aceh, this film manages to describe the story of women’s struggles as a form of collective movement that aims to save their environment from excessive exploitation.
Then entering the discussion session, the moderator turned off the forum with various questions addressed to Febriana Firdaus. Starting from the story behind the making of the film, Febriana shared that the main principle of producing this film is by applying the principle of Gender Balance Reporting. Since her initial research, Febriana took several examples of women’s movement movers such as Aleta Baun, Eva Bande, and the activists in Kendeng as choices that illustrate the struggles of various regions in Indonesia.
Various consequences and risks in his experience as a journalist were also told. Starting from threats, even to losing her job, Febriana had experienced. But that didn’t stop him from trying and fighting. Febriana remains based on her choice to become a journalist, and the film Our Mothers’ Land is her inspiration to continue producing works in visual form. This film is also an attempt by Febriana to show that the various environmental struggle movements carried out by women are a joint effort that involves many parties, so the mindset that characterizes one person needs to be changed in various journalism products. This film is not about Aleta Baun, not about Eva Bande, but more than that, such as the movement of women who are empowered and tireless in taking care of their beloved Mother Earth.