SUCCESS STORY Firing Up the Anti-Corruption Spirit through Film USAID’s SIAP 1 launches the third annual Anti-Corruption Film Festival in support of KPK’s efforts to promote anticorruption values with the help of Indonesia’s creative community.
On Feb. 11, more than 300 activists packed the auditorium of Jakarta’s Film Institute Building to mark the launch of the third annual AntiCorruption Film Festival (ACFFest). Sponsored by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) with support from USAID’s Strengthening Integrity and Accountability Program 1 (SIAP 1), ACFFest 2015 featured a competition for short films, short documentaries, short animations, citizen journalism videos, and public service announcements. The annual event, started in 2013, raises public awareness by mobilizing students, filmmakers, and Indonesia’s creative community to create films that enshrine honesty, integrity, and transparency to boost anti-corruption education efforts. ACFFest 2015 featured the screening of films and interactive talk shows with KPK Commissioners, filmmakers, and international anticorruption expert Tony Kwok, who served more than 25 years with Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Film producers join KPK officials, SIAP I staff, and excited audience members at an ACFFest 2015 roadshow event in Surakarta. “A contributing factor in Hong Kong’s success in fighting corruption is the use of visual media, particularly film. Corruption prevention messages can be presented in an entertaining manner in the form of edutainment.” – Tony Kwok Former commissioner of Hong Kong’s anti-corruption institution, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Strengthening Integrity and Accountability Program 1 (SIAP 1) Wirausaha Building 6th Floor, Suite 602, Jl. H.R. Rasuna Said Kav. C-5 Kuningan Jakarta 12940, Indonesia Tel: +62 21 5213110 Fax: +62 21 5213109 www.msiworldwide.com
During his opening remarks, KPK Commissioner Zulkarnain said, "Young people’s engagement with the anti-corruption movement, through ACFFest, is very meaningful in supporting KPK's efforts to prevent and eradicate corruption. They can use this event to investigate or monitor public services, for example." KPK Vice Chair Bambang Widjojanto said that events like ACFFest were important for the KPK in order to motivate the community, especially young people, to do their part to combat corruption. During the talk show, Bambang said that film was a great way to reach out to the next generation. The events comes at a time when there is a high-profile push-back against successful anti-corruption enforcement efforts. One audience member said that the event had boosted people’s optimism in fighting corruption in Indonesia. To broaden the event’s reach, SIAP I and the KPK took ACFfest 2015 on the road with events in Yogyakarta on Feb. 17 and Surakarta (Solo) on March 3. More than 1,000 people have attended the events so far, engaging in talk shows with representatives from KPK, SIAP I, filmmakers, and this year’s winner of the “Film Community Motivator” award, Bowo Leksono. Information on how to submit a video, along with videos from previous events, can be found at www.acffest.org. Upcoming tour dates and instant updates are available via the official Twitter account, @ACFFest.