One woman's fight against sorcery violence.

It’s estimated as many as 200 people die each year and dozens more are left badly injured.

Source: RNZ

MARIMARI Film

MARIMARI is an intimate and moving documentary of anguish and hope in equal measure. Step into the heart of Papua New Guinea, enter a cinematic journey with courageous indigenous human rights defender, Evelyn Kunda.

An unfiltered view into Evelyn's world as she rescues and rehabilitates survivors of sorcery accusation related violence (SARV). A verité style film that provides access to a world in which this new practice of sorcery violence wreaks havoc on the lives of many innocent people in the Pacific.

MARIMARI captures Evelyn’s tireless efforts, revealing a story that's compelling, richly nuanced, and leaves the viewer with a blend of fear, admiration, and a deep understanding of a woman who risks it all for her people.

MARIMARI is a call to action, as the communities of the largest Pacific island deal with rapid social change - brought about through globalization, mining, and economic pressures - the most vulnerable are being tortured and burned alive.

Screenings

MARIMARI had its local premiere in Aotearoa with the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival in August 2024, screening across multiple cities and regions.

MARIMARI has screened at the Hawaii International Film Festival and FIFO Tahiti, and will continue to be a part of the International festival circuit for the rest of 2025.

Please follow our Facebook page for more regular updates on screening locations and ticket availability.

Evelyn Kunda

Evelyn Kunda became a human rights defender when she saw what was happening around her in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. People are being forced to leave their villages accused of ‘sanguma’ - witchcraft and sorcery. Many are tortured and even killed in their villages, but those that do escape, find themselves alone and desperate. Evelyn is determined to do all she can to help these survivors.

Evelyn gives everything she can to support, house, and rehabilitate the often traumatised survivors that she takes under her wing. Her work is dangerous, unfunded, and desperately needed.

Impact Project

This documentary seeks to contribute to improving the lives of survivors, and the indigenous human rights defenders who risk their lives to rescue and rehabilitate those survivors.

How you can help:

Donate: to the safehouse from anywhere in the world via our Open Collective fundraising page: https://opencollective.com/evelynssafehouse
View MARIMARI here on AroVision, review the film on your social media, and promote among your networks. A sentence or two from you on your social media (tagging ours) would be incredibly powerful.
- Facebook: @marimarifilm
- Instagram: @marimari.film
- LinkedIn: @PaulWolffram
- General tag: #marimarifilm
Send a Friend to the film on AroVision
Connect Us: Know somebody who is able to provide sponsorship or contribute funds, or partner with us towards building Evelyn’s Safehouse? Whether they are a local business or an organisation, or just like-minded individuals, please help put us in touch with them! .

Impact work alongside the feature film:

We have already produced a series of short social media videos aimed at communicating an anti-violence message in the local language for audiences in Papua New Guinea. Find out more about these videos here

Our Impact Goals

We are supporting the ongoing operation of the MARIMARI Safe House. Visit this Open Collective to support this work.
We aim to screen the film to audiences around the world, contact us to arrange a screening.
We want to connect our audience with actions they can take, with partners who are carrying out humanitarian work on the ground in Papua New Guinea, and with further information and resources about stopping sorcery violence. We’ll be measuring website traffic, social media mentions and donations to track this.

Resources

- Stop Sorcery Violence - PNG Tribal Foundation

- Oxfam - Human Rights Watch

- Save the children

Donate

Contribute here to saving the lives of sorcery accusation survivors. One of our key impact aims is to support Evelyn to continue her work. She needs her own land and a permanent place of residence where she will be able to continue to help rehabilitate, and counsel the victims of violence

You can help by donating to Evelyn Kunda’s Safehouse here.

All donations go directly to supporting Evelyn Kunda’s Safehouse.

Thank you for your support.

Social Media Videos

Education - Empathy videos design for use in anti-SARV training and education
Community - Short anti-SARV videos co-designed and created with youth groups

Click here to learn more and download

News

Film Project & Safe House Update - March 2026

Together, we have raised $40,000 to date. We have transferred these funds directly to Bishop Gryk in Goroka, who has agreed to help distribute and manage the funds.

Film Project & Safe House Update - September 2025

In late 2024, the Bishop of Goroka provided Evelyn Kunda with a small house to support her work caring for sorcery accusation related survivors.

Witch Hunts Now: A Human Rights Catastrophe in Photographs

Director Paul Wolffram and Cinematographer Adam Browne’s prize-winning photographs are included in the Witch Hunts Now Photography Exhibition at Lancaster Arts in the United Kingdom.

World Premiere of MARIMARI at the Roxy

It was a cold Wellington afternoon when we got to finally introduce our film and the team behind it to the public. The premiere event sold out quickly, with some bonus seats added closer to the day.

Shining a Light on Sorcery Violence through Photos and Bilum

We recently had a successful launch of the SANAP WANTAIM Photography Exhibition, held from June 21st to August 4th at Pātaka Art + Museum in Porirua, Wellington.

Community hosted fundraiser raises money for the safehouse

The women of Brookvale held a fundraising afternoon tea to raise some money for the safe house.

Pātaka gallery exhibition

A selection of photographs taken over the last 6 years during the production of MARIMARI film have been selected for a new exhibition hosted in Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand.

MARIMARI film in post-production finishing

MARIMARI is now in the final stage of post-production.

Celebrating Paul and Adam's return

Our crew recently got together to celebrate Paul Wolffram and Adam Browne's return from Papua New Guinea.

Paul and Adam depart for PNG

After nearly two years of pre-production delays due to Covid-19 and border restrictions, our mighty film crew of two are finally headed for Papua New Guinea to be reunited with Evelyn for the first time in years.

PledgeMe Success

We recently put together a PledgeMe Campaign to concentrate fundraising efforts for Evelyn and her Safehouse, and have raised a total of $6,280 for Evelyn.

Urgent Action Grant

Everlyn Kunda receives an Urgent Action Grant to support her work in Goroka. The Asia Pacific Urgent Action Grant has awarded Everlyn a grant to help her find a secure location to run her Safehouse on the outskirts of Goroka.

Sanguma: COVID-19

When a woman was accused of using witchcraft to kill a young boy, his father and the village tribesmen gathered to torture her. By the end of the day, she was dead. Experts warns more such killings are likely as the COVID death toll grows.

Everlyn Kunda: Goroka

Despite the tough conditions and restrictions on movement caused by COVID 19, Everlyn Kunda continues her efforts to feed the children who live in the streets of Goroka. Everyday Everlyn and her team of volunteers distribute food and drink to those living on Goroka’s streets.