The Road to Home
53 mins | 2015 | 16:9
Producer, director, camera & editor
The Road to Home is an award-winning documentary about Benny Wenda, the exiled leader of West Papua’s independence movement. He has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and is also a recipient of the Freedom of Oxford.
A leading figure in the resistance of Indonesia’s colonial occupation of West Papua, Benny Wenda was arrested and placed on trial by the Indonesian Government in 2002 following a crackdown on pro-independence figures in the restive region. During his trial he launched a miraculous escape from prison, walking for weeks through the jungle before finally reaching the safety of neighbouring Papua New Guinea. He was later granted political asylum in the UK by the British Government, and now resides in Oxford from where he leads the global campaign for West Papua’s independence.
Filmed over a two year period and with exclusive access, The Road To Home provides a rare insight into Benny Wenda’s tireless work to liberate the people of West Papua from the colonial rule of Indonesia and highlights why he continues to be a thorn in the side of the Indonesian authorities.
The documentary follows him on his 2013 Freedom Tour to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, where he lobbies members of US congress, causes a diplomatic spat in New Zealand and visits the refugee camp in Papua New Guinea where he had sought refuge years earlier.
The Road to Home was awarded ‘Best Documentary’ at the Amsterdam Film Festival and has screened on national TV in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Awards: Best Documentary – Amsterdam Film Festival, 2016
Watch: Film available on DVD
