Sukundumi Walks Before Me, a 90-minute documentary that won the Sustainable Future Award $40,000 cash prize at the 2026 Sydney Film Festival, began as a small advocacy project and later developed into a full-length international feature film.
Directed by Matasila Freshwater and Lachlan McLeod, the film brought global attention to the voices of communities residing along the Sepik River as they confront the proposed Frieda River copper-gold mine.
Speaking to Human Rights Advocate, Shayanne Waide, he explained that the project first started around 2018–2019 under Project Sepik, when the organisation was still a small NGO focused on advocacy work. The initial idea was to produce a short 10–20-minute video to support campaign and awareness efforts.
“We originally wanted a short advocacy video, not a long documentary but it eventually became a 90-minute film.”
The production later evolved into a full documentary following the campaign journey of Project Sepik and the people of Sepik River, including events leading up to the Sukundumi declaration.
The film was developed with support from international collaborators, including the Australian-based production company Walking Fish.
“The target audience is the people of Sepik River, the Government of Papua New Guinea, and international spaces to gain wider recognition of the message.”
“There was no resistance against the film. At first, people didn’t even know we were doing a documentary.”
“We received full support from government partners.”
Waide also highlighted the challenges of language and interpretation during production, noting that interpreters played an important role in ensuring accurate communication throughout filming.
Support from partners in Australia and New Zealand also helped strengthen the project’s development and festival submissions.
Producer Emmanuel Peni, stated that the film was submitted to several International Film Festivals.
“The film was submitted not just in Sydney, Australia but also in New Zealand as well as Tahiti and Montreal Canada.”
While the film has gained international exposure, Shayanne Waide confirmed there are currently no plans for a public cinema premiere at Paradise Cinema in Port Moresby due to ethical considerations.
However, he noted that future broadcasting opportunities are being explored, including possible screenings through national and international television platforms.
