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When Australia implemented strict border enforcement policies a decade ago, thousands of asylum seekers found themselves stranded in Indonesia with no clear future. Rather than yielding to despair, a small group of Hazara refugees – including husband and wife Muzafar and Nagina Ali – took matters into their own hands. Starting with a modest $200 donation, a couple of notebooks, and endless determination, they established a makeshift two-room school in Cisarua. Over ten years, this grassroots initiative blossomed into a thriving educational movement serving over thirteen hundred students and employing dozens of refugee teachers, opening doors to university degrees across the globe.

Co-directed by Australian filmmaker Jolyon Hoff and refugee activist Muzafar Ali, this uplifting Australian feature documentary captures a powerful ten-year journey of hope and solidarity. Proving that love, community, and education can overcome global geopolitical barriers, We Are Not Powerless offers a deeply moving testament to human resilience.

The screening will be introduced by Muzafar Ali and Jolyon Hoff, the film’s co-directors and co-CEOs of Cisarua Learning, as well as Wahidullah Waissi, Founder & President of The Afghanistan Institute and former Ambassador of Afghanistan to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.

PG | 95 mins | 2025

The ANU Film Group is Australia’s largest film society and has been screenings films for the Canberra community since 1966 – 60 years ago. We screen more than 200 films a year with memberships beginning from just $15 for a week to $90 for a full 365 days of films. Memberships are open to all and can be purchased at the door on the night. Screenings take place at the Cinema in the Lowitja O'Donohue Cultural Centre, Kambri. Find out more at