film070 and MTM present: The Promise

This Wednesday 10 December, we are back at the Filmhuis for another collaborative programme. This time, we’re joining forces with human rights film festival Movies That Matter on International Human Rights Day to screen the magnificent documentary The Promise. This Dutch production was the opening film of the festival earlier this year, setting the tone for a week of documentaries, fiction films, and short film programmes that each deal with human rights in their own way. Apart from the films themselves, the festival also invites activists, experts, and others to participate in lectures, workshops and more. While the next edition of the festival is only taking place from 20 to 28 March 2026 in The Hague, you can now get a little taste of what’s to come.

A little bit about The Promise. A forgotten struggle, a lost future. In the 1960s, West Papua seemed on the verge of independence, but international politics and economic interests decided otherwise. The Promise brings this history to life with strikingly restored 35mm archival footage, revealing how an entire people were systematically betrayed and oppressed. The 1962 transfer of West Papua to Indonesia, promised as a fair referendum, became a sham, leading to decades of persecution, displacement, and killings. Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the film exposes how Western powers and corporations prioritized profit over human rights, while the Indigenous population remains oppressed. Through the stories of Papuans in exile, director Daan Veldhuizen portrays the painful transition from colonialism to neocolonialism—and the world’s enduring silence.

After the film, film070 and Movies That Matter will be hosting a conversation with Raki Ap about film & impact, to talk about the ways in which films can lead to actual, tangible change. Tickets are now live via the link in our bio, make sure to grab them quick. This will be a good one.