Sunday 9 August 2026

The award-winning documentary about the fight to save the Sepik River has made its premiere in Melbourne at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ made its premiere at the ACMI at Melbourne’s Federation Square on Friday 7 August, and a second screening at the Kino Cinema in Melbourne on Saturday 8 August.

Produced in partnership with Project Sepik and the Save the Sepik campaign, ‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ centres the mighty Sepik River — the lifeblood of its people — and documents Sepik communities’ resistance to the proposed Frieda River gold-copper mine located near the river’s waters. At its heart, the film is a story of guardianship, ancestral responsibility, and collective refusal in the face of extraction.

Project Sepik’s Manu Peni and Steven Whallan attended the premiere.

“ ‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ screening in Sydney and Melbourne is a remarkable achievement for PNG cinema,amplifying the Sepik people’s genuine will to protect the Sepik River. It confirms there is no consent for the 6 Environment Permits,” said Manu Peni, Coordinator of Project Sepik.

The film ‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ is produced by Brown Sugar Apple Grunt Productions and Walking Fish Productions, and was directed by Matasila Freshwater and Lachlan Mcleod.

“The risk of devastation to the Sepik River is a threat to the entire world, which unknowingly and continually relies on Indigenous cultural practices and knowledge to protect our critical ecosystems from the catastrophes of colonisation. It’s significant to screen at MIFF and to invite audiences to bear witness to this enduring work and to the living spirit of the Sepik River,” said Matasila Freshwater, writer and director of the film.

“It was a surreal experience to have the film premiere back home in Melbourne. Reactions  demonstrated its ability to deeply move audiences, challenge existing beliefs and press the importance of the Sepik river for the world. We are excited to see its continued impact on a global stage,” said Lachlan Mcleod, co-director of the film.

The film will continue to tour Australia throughout 2026 and will again return to Papua New Guinea for further screenings.

‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ won the Sustainable Future Award at the Sydney Film Festival, the largest environmental prize in the world, and was the only film to be nominated for two awards.

At the Doc Edge Film Festival in New Zealand, ‘Sukundimi Walks Before Me’ won the Best New Zealand Director Award and received a Special Mention for the Best New Zealand Feature Documentary Award. 

Information about all future screenings for the film is regularly updated on the Save the Sepik website here.