Documentary Film Dissemination: ‘Zona Batas’ Film Launching and Discussion

On September 16, 2025, ARC UI, in collaboration with WatchdoC Documentary, convened the public launch and discussion of Zona Batas, a documentary produced as part of the research project Resilience and Adaptation to Sea Level Rise in Jakarta Bay: Sink or Swim Together?. The event aimed to extend research findings beyond academic publications by using visual storytelling to engage wider audiences on the complex socio-environmental challenges faced by Jakarta’s coastal communities.

The session opened with a screening that offered a grounded portrayal of life behind Jakarta’s sea wall—where fishers and green-mussel farmers confront rising sea levels, land subsidence, and the impacts of large-scale infrastructural interventions such as the Giant Sea Wall (NCICD). Through intimate narratives, the film illustrates how climate adaptation policies intersect with entrenched inequalities, disrupting established livelihoods and threatening the future of coastal settlements.

Following the screening, a panel discussion brought together policymakers, civil society organisations, community representatives, and researchers to reflect on the film’s themes. This panel featured:

• Cipta Aditya – Bappeda Provinsi DKI Jakarta
• Dian Tri Irawaty – Rujak Center for Urban Studies
• Danu Waluyo P – Komunitas Nelayan Rakyat Indonesia
• Dr. Suraya Afiff – Principal Researcher, SOS Project
• Muhammad Sridipo – WatchDoc Documentary (Moderator)

Speakers examined how climate adaptation strategies can generate both conflict and cooperation across unequal social groups, emphasising the need for more inclusive policymaking processes that take into account gender, class, age, and religious differences. The dialogue highlighted the importance of recognising local knowledge and the lived realities of affected communities when designing adaptation measures, especially in rapidly changing urban environments such as Jakarta Bay area.

The discussion underscored how audio-visual media can serve as a powerful tool for public education, policy engagement, and cross-sector collaboration. By bringing together diverse actors—from government officials to coastal community leaders—the event fostered critical reflection on the direction of Jakarta’s climate adaptation agenda and strengthened networks among research institutions, civil society organisations, and local communities.