Aliko & Ambai (2017)

Aliko & Ambai is a feature film about two young women facing the challenges of growing up in the beautiful Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The challenges are significant: tribal conflict, poverty, bullying, domestic violence,and forced marriage. Aliko struggles to complete her education and Ambai searches to escape her abusive home and reunite with her biological father. They navigate the many obstacles in their lives and endeavour to build brighter futures for themselves, supported by the strength of friendship. Produced by the Centre for Social and Creative Media (CSCM) at the University of Goroka in Papua New Guinea, the film is a successful example of participatory filmmaking. The story was developed and written by young PNG writers and was produced with a cast and crew drawn from local communities. Aliko & Ambai has become a popular viral media phenomenon among young people in PNG with copies being shared via flash drives and cell phones. Posts on Facebook and feedback screenings have demonstrated that young audiences are deeply affected by this story that shows the beauty and the pain of contemporary indigenous experience in Melanesia. The film aims to inspire the current generation of young people to overcome the obstacles in their lives, and persevere to reach their goals and fulfil their aspirations.