Casa de Produção Audiovisual (CPA) is the only non-profit production house in Timor-Leste that regularly produces multimedia products in Tetun. Its director Amelia Hapsari provides an update.
Each morning, the staff of CPA gather in a circle to pray. They are writers, cameramen, editors and animators who have been trained in CPA since the dawn of the young country. The task on their shoulders is both heavy and humble. They share hope through storytelling.
Timor-Leste has a lot to hope for. The income from petroleum and the wealth of its culture create a unique opportunity for the nation to arise anew from its history of colonisation and oppression.
The journey is difficult. After the long, hard struggle against Indonesian occupation, the Timorese are now battling a grim reality. Half the population lives on less than a US dollar a day, 40 percent are unemployed and the literacy rate is only 50 percent. The malnutrition rate is 54 percent and there are 130 deaths for every 1,000 children under the age of five.
But despite the harsh realities they see and bear every day, every CPA staff member tells him or herself that there is hope and that the work they do at CPA helps others have hope.
“I want to make stories that help the young people I see in my neighbourhood. They drink a lot and disturb people because they don’t know what they can do,” says Humberto Cunha do Espirito Santo who has been working in CPA since 2002.
Like many young Timorese, he hated school, married young, and had three children by the time he was 27. However, his work as a cameraman and editor in CPA helps him see the future with hope and he aspires to be a movie director.
Fr Ruedi Hoffman SJ well understood the importance of hope and he founded Casa de Produção Audiovisual to present stories that would help the people believe in and aspire to a future as a nation living in peace.
CPA’s first production for television, “Istória ba Futuru” (History for the Future), presented folk legends, historical figures and events that shaped the current Timor-Leste in in 48 episodes.
On local television now is another CPA production “Povu Nia Matenek” (Wisdom of the People), which addresses pressing problems in society. The series provides an in-depth analysis of the causes and possible solutions, presenting different perspectives to encourage people to take part in contributing to the solutions.
“Povu Nia Matenek” also tells the story of Timorese individuals who have overcome daily challenges with passion and hard work.
CPA’s stories of hope have garnered appreciation and praise.
“The video that CPA did really made them feel proud and confident that their job with the Red Cross is important,” said Valerie Hunnam, country director of International Red Cross, of the episode that highlighted the contribution of the many volunteers and staff members of CVTL (Timor-Leste’s Red Cross).
Recently Kirsty Sword-Gusmão, the first lady of Timor-Leste, visited CPA’s office and after her visit, she said, “I respect and appreciate the contributions of CPA’s team of young filmmakers and journalists to the documenting of key aspects of our unique culture and national identity as one of the newest emerging nations in our region.” Mrs Sword-Gusmão is also the Goodwill Ambassador for Education in Timor-Leste and Chair of the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO.
CPA is currently developing and raising funds for “Labarik Nia Mundu” (Children’s World), a literacy television programme for children. It is their hope that the programme’s mix of storytelling, music and animation will encourage children to read.
Watch an episode of “Labarik Nia Mundu” (Children’s World): Isahere the Frog.