UNCLASSIFIED PG, 1H 42M, DOCU-DRAMA

‘We Are Not Powerless’ tells the story of what happens when people refuse to give up on each other.

ABOUT THE EVENTS

• One Day Only | Two Screenings | Directors Q&A

• 11am Thursday 9 July

• 6pm Thursday 9 July

• Screenings each followed by a Q&A!

ABOUT THE FILM

Ten years ago Australia ‘stopped the boats’. At the same time a small group of refugees in Indonesia received a $200 donation and started a two-room school.

Husband and wife, Muzafar Ali and Nagina Zahra were co-founders of that first school before being resettled in Adelaide in 2015. Since then the schools in Indonesia have grown. There are now over 1300 refugee students and 130 refugee teachers.

They started with a few notebooks and pens and against the advice of the UNHCR. Now the students are obtaining school leaving certificates and entering universities around the world.

Alumni from the schools have spoken at the United Nations and become doctors, teachers and lawyers, and they are returning to support the schools in Indonesia, where many went to school for the first time in their lives.

This incredible story places a small refugee community at the centre of some of the biggest and most important geopolitical and immigration debates in the world.

This powerful, emotional and decades-long narrative, anchored by Muzafar and Nagina’s love story, takes the audience inside the life of a refugee in a way that has never been captured before. It highlights the effects of Australia and the world’s approach to refugees and proves that love, connection and community can change the world.

Following two Sold-Out Standing Ovations Adelaide Film Festival 2025 and a tour on now, this is not to be missed.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Muzafar Ali

Former-refugee Muzafar Ali is a highly-regarded human-rights activist and photographer. He has dedicated his life to supporting refugees

Jolyon Hoff

Jolyon returned to Australia in 2020 after spending 15 years living in Nigeria, Indonesia, Nepal. He is committed to telling stories which bring people and the world closer together.