The Promise
Daan Veldhuizen
A forgotten struggle, a lost future. In the 1960s, it seemed that West Papua was on the path to independence. But international interests, geopolitical power struggles, and economic motives dictated otherwise. Using uniquely restored 35mm archival footage, The Promise brings this history back to life, revealing how an entire people is systematically betrayed and oppressed.
As the Netherlands prepared for the independence of Dutch New Guinea, Indonesia strongly opposed it. Under pressure from the United States and the United Nations, the region was handed over to Indonesia in 1962, with the promise of a referendum. But the so-called ‘Act of Free Choice’ turned out to be a sham. Since then, Papuans in Indonesia have been persecuted, displaced, and killed on a massive scale—one of the world’s most neglected genocides.
Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the film shows how the future of West Papua was shaped not only in diplomatic backrooms but also by corporate interests, where influential Western elites, including Prince Bernhard, appeared to prioritize economic gains over human rights. While West Papua’s vast natural resources continue to be exploited by predominantly Western companies to this day, the Indigenous population remains systematically oppressed.
Through powerful testimonies from exiled Papuans and their ongoing fight for recognition, director Daan Veldhuizen paints a painful picture in The Promise of how colonialism gave way to neo-colonialism—and how the world remained silent.
The Promise is the opening film of the Movies that Matter Festival 2025 in The Hague. In April, the documentary will also be shown in 17 film theatres as part of Movies that Matter On Tour, with an in-depth programme.
Credits
- Director
- Daan Veldhuizen
- Type
- Documentary
- Production Country
- The Netherlands
- Year
- 2025
- Duration
- 115 minutes
- Spoken Language
- English, Malay, Dutch
- Subtitles
- Dutch/English
NB: The date and start time of a screening are subject to change. Check the website of the respective cinema for the most up-to-date information.
Theatres, dates and timeslots (to be updated)
- Amersfoort
- Mon 14 Apr at 20:15 in De Lieve Vrouw
- Amsterdam
- at 19:15 in Kriterion*
- Amsterdam
- Thu 24 Apr at 18:30 in Rialto VU*
- Apeldoorn
- Tue 8 Apr at 20:00 in Gigant
- Arnhem
- Wed 23 Apr at 19:00 in Focus Filmtheater
- Breda
- Sun 27 Apr at 16:00 in Filmhuis Breda
- Delft
- Thu 10 Apr in Filmhuis Lumen*
- Den Haag
- Sun 13 Apr at 15:00 in Filmhuis Den Haag*
- Deventer
- Mon 28 Apr at 20:00 in MIMIK
- Gouda
- Tue 22 Apr at 20:00 in Filmhuis Gouda
- Groningen
- Tue 8 Apr at 20:30 in VERA Zienema*
- Hilversum
- Tue 8 Apr at 19:00 in Filmtheater Hilversum
- Leiden
- Mon 14 Apr at 19:00 in Kijkhuis*
- Middelburg
- Mon 21 Apr at 20:00 in Cinema Middelburg*
- Schiedam
- Tue 15 Apr at 20:00 in Wenneker Cinema
- Utrecht
- Mon 14 Apr at 19:00 in Louis Hartlooper Complex*
- Wageningen
- Tue 15 Apr at 20:00 in Movie W*