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Senisim Pasin

A documentary on gender-based violence (GBV) in Papua New Guinea designed to help change hearts and minds by taking a positive approach in highlighting the value that women bring to Papua New Guinea, and offering possible solutions. Senisim Pasin means “change our ways” and features male perpetrators of domestic violence who are now active champions in the movement to end GBV, as well as empowered and resilient women like Betty Higgins, 2011 International Woman of Courage nominee; and survivor of sorcery related violence, Agusta.

Shooting footage throughout the four regions of PNG, the imagery and stories are powerfully evocative, and remind the viewer of the inherent beauty of our people and our country, and the need to value and protect both. National leaders such as Governor for Eastern Highlands Province, Julie Soso, and Governor for Oro Province, Gary Juffa, appear in the film, addressing the issue of gender-based violence and how the cultural mindset can change to celebrate the value and beauty of women.

  • Josiah Thiesen
    Director
  • David Cunningham
    Producer
    To End All Wars; The Seeker; The Path to 9/11; The Dream Center; Walkabout Australia
  • Edwin Marshall
    Producer
    To End All Wars; After.Life; After...; Pastor Shepherd
  • Tanner Wolfe
    Producer
    Never Surrender; Dreams; Riptide; Desire of the Everlasting Hills
  • Michelle Hau'ofa
    Producer
  • Michelle Hau'ofa
    Key Cast
  • Roger Hau'ofa
    Key Cast
  • Governor Gary Juffa
    Key Cast
  • Governor Julie Sosa
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    44 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 29, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    300,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Papua New Guinea
  • Country of Filming:
    Papua New Guinea
  • Language:
    Other
  • Shooting Format:
    DLP
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Josiah Thiesen

Josiah Thiesen grew up in Fresno California and graduated from the University of the Nations, School of Digital Filmmaking in 2006. His documentary directing career started in his own backyard with a short documentary about poverty in the San Joaquin Valley in 2007 called "Valley View".

In 2008, he co-directed a feature documentary about a killing that took place at a Youth with A Mission campus in Denver Colorado and the Snowboarding School that took the community on a journey of forgiveness. Soon after that, he joined up with colleagues from film school, and was the director of photography for "Sex+Money", a feature documentary exposing the underground sex-trafficking of minors within the US.

Josiah then moved to Kona, Hawaii to work with Chosen and Dearly Loved, an organization advocating for orphans with special needs. Amidst shooting and directing documentaries about orphans and the families that adopt them, the story of "Walter's Flying Bus" came to life as an animated eBook, celebrating the hopes and dreams of Walter and his friends in Uganda.

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