Breaking the Chains

Synopsis: The practice of using shackles and chains to physically restrain people with mental illness (known as pasung) is widespread in Indonesia (as in many other developing/low middle income countries) and almost universally ignored.

This observational ethnographic documentary explores the beliefs and social norms regarding pasung and tells an original story about the social and political activism to free people from this practice and the process that leads to the release of victims of pasung such as Yayah, a young woman who has been chained inside a small room for 17 years. In particular, the film follows the activities that have been initiated by an organization in Cianjur (West Java) that is led and run by people with mental health problems.
Country: Australia; Great Britain; Indonesia; Italy
Year of release: 2015
Notes: Languages: Bahasa Indonesian, Sundanese, English, Italian, Arabic
Subjects: Anthropology
Keywords: ethnography; Indonesia; mental illness; ethnographic filmmaking

Name: Royal Anthropological Institute
Contact: Susanne Hammacher (Film Officer)
Email: film@therai.org.uk
Web: https://www.therai.org.uk/film/film-sales External site opens in new window
Phone: 020 7387 0455
Fax: 020 7388 8817
Address: 50 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 5BT
Notes: The Institute sells more than 250 anthropology and ethnology titles on video and DVD, including some produced by students and staff of the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology. There is also a large library of internationally produced film and video productions from which items may be borrowed within the UK.

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