This film is the story of people living near tropical forests in Southeast Asia, in particular the story of indigenous communities in Malaysia, Indonesian and the Philippines. The film explores a community life entwined with the fate of their forest homes. The Voices from the Forest.

Traditional and sustainable non-timber forest product management has been practised for generations by the community living around Lake Sentarum, one of the South East Asia’s largest wetlands. They have developed a honey harvesting method that does not adversely affect the regeneration rate of the bees. The video records the harvesting method practiced by the local community, from the selection of the colony, honey extraction, harvest treatment to the packing.

Water Crisis in the City of Rain
Video sent by gekkostudio

Bogor City is one of the cities with highest rainfall in Indonesia. Ironically, it is experiencing water crisis due to the degraded catchments areas in the headwaters. The video highlights environmental degradation resulting from non ecologically-based spatial plan. Surrounded by mountains, the city serves as the catchments area for the area as well as for the lower land. The ecosystem degradation will affect the country’s populous capital, Jakarta, to which the city rivers empty.

© Telapak/Gekko Studio 2005