Film Review: Saving Our Beautiful Bali

‘Saving Our Beautiful Bali’ is a stunning film which provides us with a rare glimpse into the life and world of the 16-year-old inspirational environmental activist, Isabel, on the remarkable island of Bali. This documentary uses every second of its 30 minutes to convey the impact and importance of Isabel’s mission to stop single-use plastic on her home island. Since the age of 10, Isabel has been campaigning for a plastic bag ban in Bali. In June 2019, the year the film was released, Isabel’s dedicated work paid off as that ban was put into place.

The documentary focuses on the continued work that is needed in Bali as the ban is not the end of the plastic crisis on the island. Isabel takes us all over Bali showing us a wide variety of plastic-centric issues and solutions. We see Isabel meet with the group she and her sister founded, Bye Bye Plastic; we see her and young school children cleaning up a beach; a sea turtle sanctuary; a newly opened recycling centre; and so much more. This is a jam-packed half an hour that educates its viewers without beating them over the head with relentless information but does not spoon-feed us either.

Hindu temple located in Bali. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Director, Khurrum M. Sultan, immerses the film, and then by extension us, in the island of Bali. He represented the place and the culture of the island with a level of authenticity that does not feel superficial. This film is led by an inspirational young person at its core. The decision to have Isabel present and narrate the entire documentary was the correct one as her genuine passion, knowledge and instantly likeable personality shine through. The aesthetic that the film has infuses a youthful spirit into the documentary through its bright colours and quirky animations. This highlights the children at the heart of the story and their unfailing optimism and hope.

This is a delightful documentary that delivers an important message and highlights an inspirational young person. It shines in its moments where Bali and the people of the island are at the forefront, which cleverly the film solely does throughout. It is difficult to say anything negative about ‘Saving Our Beautiful Bali,’ it has heart, is executed highly competently and with style, and when watching an infectious combination of joy and a call-to-action wash over you. -★★★★★