Netherlands/Indonesia, 52 min

Dir: Leonard Retel Helmrich

Indonesia, the land of the eternal smile, has suffered in the last few years from terrorist attacks by Muslim fundamentalists. The confusion in the country is a source of inspiration for many Indonesian artists. In Promised Paradise we follow Agus, a troubadour and puppeteer, who criticizes the turbulence in his country in his performance.

After another bombing in Jakarta, Agus decides to go searching for answers.

Indonesia, which has the largest Muslim-majority population in the world, has been the scene of several bombing attacks in the last few years, many aimed at Australians and the Australian tourism industry. In 2004 the Australian embassy in Jakarta was destroyed in a car bombing attack that killed nine people, including the bomber. In 2002, 202 were killed in the tourist district of Kuta in Bali, and others were killed in a 2005 Bali bombing.

This film originally aired as part of Doc-Debut , a new regular series on Link TV highlighting unique and groundbreaking international documentary films.

LEARN MORE:

Visit Smiley Film Documentary Film Distribution's Promised Paradise page.

Read an interview with Angus Nur Amal, the Indonesian puppeteer that is the main character of Promised Paradise. 

Reporters Without Borders reports on the Indonesian banning of Promised Paradise.

The BBC’s archive of articles on the Bali bombings of 2002.