With at least 29,000 years of human occupation, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea has a long history and has birthed rich culture. Ophir takes a deep look at the recent colonization of the island by Australian interests. In the 1970s, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, Bougainville Copper Limited, set up shop in the Panguna mine. The resulting abuses by the mining company, its complete disregard for native culture and ecology, and the refusal by the Papua New Guinea government to halt production led to a populist revival of Bougainville separatism.
Ophir chronicles the history of this conflict from the beginnings of the colonial period to the 2010s, focusing on the successes and populism of the infamous armed rebellion, which succeeded in halting BCL’s operation. The people of Bougainville face a new challenge, as multiple interests seek to re-open the Panguna mine just as the first signs of ecological recovery appear.
Ophir may be the best environmental documentary I have ever seen. It is rare to see an indigenous lead revolution succeed, and rarer still to hear about such success. This documentary gives the viewer a chance to hear the residents of Bougainville speak for themselves in their own words. They speak of colonialism and all of its faces. Beautiful poetry is used to drive this documentary from segment to segment, connecting the thoughts and ideas spoken by this film’s subjects to one another through cultural expression.
Several especially poetic statements are made: Some Bougainville people describe the white man as “a man of problems,” as the money and materialism he brings and covets are paid for by the people and the land of Bougainville Island. “We are still in the colonial era,” says one activist, describing the lack of autonomy the people of Bougainville still face. In 2019, a referendum showed that 98.31% of Bougainvillians would support the creation of a new nation, and Papua New Guinea is slated to allow this transition as early as 2027. This award-winning documentary is a must-have for library shelves. Highly Recommended. Editor’s Choice.
Where does this title belong on public or academic library shelves?
Ophir belongs on ethnography and ecology shelves.
What type of college instructor would use this documentary?
Ecology and history professors will find the most use in Ophir.
What kind of film series could use this title?
Any film series about ecology, indigenous culture, and rebellion would benefit from the addition of Ophir.