The Black Road

Infobox Film
name = The Black Road


image_size = 115
caption = "The Black Road" promotional poster
director = William Nessen
producer = Andrew Ogilvie
writer = Willian Nessen
Lawrie Silvestrin
music = Tim Count
Keith Van Geyzel
editing = Lawrie Silvestrin
released = Start date|2005
runtime = 52 mins.
country = Australia
language = English
imdb_id = 0497500

"The Black Road" is a 2005 documentary by William Nessen. The film was shot on location in Aceh, and reports on the Province’s battle for independence from Indonesia. Although the film was originally a television documentary, produced for SBS in Australia, it has since been shown around the world at film festivals and presentations on the subject. The film is critically acclaimed and has received several awards, both Australian and international. "The Black Road" was among four films on the subject of separatism that the Indonesian Film Censorship Institute banned in the country.__TOC__

ynopsis

William Nessen, an American freelance journalist, travels to Aceh, Indonesia to cover the conflict which was taking place there at the time. Shot over a period of four years, "The Black Road" follows Nessen as he transforms from being an objective journalist to a supporter of the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka, or GAM). [http://australianscreen.com.au/titles/black-road/ The Black Road: on the front line of Aceh's war (2005) - australian screen ] ]

While the 2004 tsunami made Aceh, an Indonesian Province on the northern tip of Sumatra, well known across the world, most people remain ignorant of its 27-year struggle for independence. [ [http://www.aceh.net/acehinindonesiahistory.html Aceh Aceh.Net: Welcome to Aceh - About Aceh ] ] [ [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0607/S00041.htm Scoop: The Black Road - On the Front Line Of Aceh's War ] ]

William Nessen first travelled to Aceh in 2001, as a print journalist. At this point, Nessen had no plans for a film, but recorded footage which he intended to sell to television networks. He began to visit General Bambang Darmono, the leader of the Indonesian military in Aceh. Gaining the trust of General Darmono, Nessen was able to obtain information and shooting opportunities that would have been unavailable to most other journalists.cite news|url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/11/02/CM280194.DTL|title= ON THE RUN IN ACEH / With the guerrillas in Indonesia's westernmost province|work=San Francisco Chronicle|last=Nessen|first=William|date=2003-11-02|page=CM-8] During this period he fell in love with a trusted military translator, Sya’diah Syeh Marhaban, who was a spy for the separatist movement. They worked together, continuing to extract sensitive information from General Darmono. Nessen, as his collection of footage grew, thought of making a film. This idea would later evolve into The Black Road.

and banned from entering Indonesia for one year, a ban that has been renewed each year since 2004. [ [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=7417 Reporters sans frontières - Indonesia ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3120217.stm BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | US reporter in Aceh freed ] ] [ [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=17277 Reporters sans frontières - Indonesia: Officials deny entry to US journalist who covered war in Aceh from rebels’ side ] ]

Production

Between 2001 and 2003, Nessen spent almost a year in Aceh. [ [http://www.acheh-eye.org/data_files/english_format/analisys/analysis_insideind/analysis_insideind_2005/analysis_insideind_2005_01_03_03.html Acheh-Eye.Org ] ] During this time, Nessen was repeatedly ordered to stop reporting from rebel-held areas. Upon giving himself up to Indonesian authorities, Nessen was imprisoned for 40 days. The Indonesian military originally accused him of espionage, and threatened the death penalty, but due to U.S. Embassy involvement in the case Nessen was found to be innocent, and was only charged with failing to inform officials of an address change and failing to report to martial law authorities. Following this he was expelled from Indonesia and was denied entry for a year.
A year after the film's release, Nessen was invited to visit his wife's relatives in Aceh. However, upon arrival at the Polonia Airport on Wednesday, the 19th of April 2006, Nessen was denied entry to Indonesia. No reason was given to him, but his wife told newspapers that the government still considers him a threat. [ [http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=43611 AsiaMedia :: INDONESIA: Journalist Nessen still barred from entering RI ] ]

Distribution

The film was produced for SBS and was aired on August 22, 2006. It has been shown at a range of other venues, including film festivals and presentations that William Nessen has given on the subject.cite web
title=Event: Film Screening 'The Black Road: On the Front Line of Aceh's War
date =20 June 2006
publisher=Aid Watch
url=http://www.aidwatch.org.au/index.php?current=68&display=aw00928&display_item=1
accessdate=2008-04-23] [cite press release
title=Kathy Bates conformed for Aspen Filmfest
date =September 1 2005
publisher=Aspen Filmfest
format=PDF
url=http://www.aspenfilm.org/docs/AFF05_BATES_RELEASE_9-1.pdf
accessdate=2008-04-23] [http://www.screenwest.wa.gov.au/index.cfm?objectid=B441CD7D-65BF-EBC1-232A4C599C375506&navid=9CD848AD-C09F-1F3C-C8B2FDD4B037EF9C Screenwest : Electric Pictures Production 'Black Road' Finds Success At Mumbai International Film Festival ] ]

Reception

Along with three similar films, "The Black Road" was banned from being shown at an international film festival by the Indonesian Film Censorship Institute. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200611/s1797478.htm Indonesian censors ban Aceh film from festival. 25/11/2006. ABC News Online ] ] This decision was attacked as a breach of free speech and freedom of the press. [ [http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/79490/ IFEX :: Four films on Aceh and East Timor censored ] ]

Critics

The Black Road has been criticized on many counts. It tends to focus more on Nessen's personal adventures than on the reality of both GAM and Indonesian soldiers or civilians.fact|date=December 2007 His footage attacks only the most liberal Indonesian Generals, the only ones who would work with foreign media. Nessen fails to interview GAM rank and file, instead focusing on his personal excitement at attacking Indonesian soldiers and his own wedding.fact|date=December 2007 Finally, the conclusion is widely seen as forced, over the top sentiment which ignores the popular changes after the disaster, namely lack of support for continued fighting.fact|date=December 2007 While many of these criticisms are valid, The Black Road is indeed a personal account of a journalist's story that ultimately changes him from objective observer to sympathetic participant and gives an insight into the difficulties of remaining impartial when covering such stories.The film received good reviews from newspapers around the globe.

Awards

* William Nessen was awarded Best Documentary for "The Black Road" at the 2006 Mumbai International Film Festival.
* Andrew Ogilvie was awarded "Best Film of the Festival" for "The Black Road" at the 2006 Mumbai International Film Festival.
* "The Black Road" won Screenrights' Best Made-for-TV Documentary at the DOCNZ Film Festival.
* "The Black Road" was given a Special Mention at the DOCNZ Film Festival.
* Lawrie Silvestrin was nominated for an AFI Award in 2005 for "Best Editing in a Documentary" by the Australian Film Institute [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497500/awards The Black Road (2005) - Awards ] ] .

References

External links

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