SUKUNDIMI WALKS BEFORE ME

Known as the “Amazon of the Asia Pacific,” the Sepik stretches more than 1,100 kilometers through pristine rainforest and sustains tens of thousands of people who have lived along its banks for millennia. When an Australian mining conglomerate proposes a mine and toxic-waste dam, communities led by charismatic activist Emmanuel Peni mobilize to protect the river from pollution and ecological destruction. Their fight pits Indigenous knowledge and collective action against colonial power structures, multinational interests, and the promise of “progress.” 

Filmmaker Matasila Freshwater (VAI) and producer Kerry Warkia (WARU, VAI, PIC Leanne K Ferrer Trailblazer Award) work closely with community members, capturing intimate meetings, canoe journeys, traditional songs, and moments of resistance. A vivid work of cine-activism, SUKUNDIMI WALKS BEFORE ME is a powerful David-and-Goliath story about protecting a river—and a future.