The Promise

When West Papua was betrayed, the world looked away.

A forgotten struggle, a lost future. In the 1960s, West Papua was on the path to independence. But international interests, geopolitical power struggles, and economic motives dictated otherwise. Through uniquely restored and colourised 35mm archival footage, the film brings this untold history back to life, revealing how an entire people is systematically betrayed and oppressed.

With gripping stories of Papuans in exile and their struggle for recognition, director Veldhuizen paints a painful picture of how colonialism gave way to neocolonialism, and how the world remained silent.