Moses Parlindungan Ompusunggu

Visual Anthropologist

Documentary Filmmaker

Disinformation Expert

Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Moses is a visual anthropologist, documentarian, and expert on Indonesian disinformation.

He possesses 9 years of professional experience encompassing Video-based Research, Consumer Ethnography, Ethnographic Documentary Filmmaking (Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Editing), Fact-Checking, Multimedia Journalism, and Cyber Investigation.

He has won multiple domestic and international prizes, including two prestigious scholarships: Chevening Awards and Australian Awards.

Professional Experience

Moses currently runs two New Media agencies based in Indonesia, having previously worked at various reputable media organizations in the past.

2021 - Present

CEO and Founder / Atmakanta

In 2021, Moses founded Atmakanta, the first Indonesian company focusing on visual ethnography to gather Thick Data. The firm has 3 main services:

Thick Data research through video-based field research.
Ethnographic documentary filmmaking (Producing, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Distribution).
Audiovisual ethnography training.

2023 - Present

Managing Director / Pantau Hoaks

In 2023, Moses co-founded Pantau Hoaks, a Jakarta-based digital investigation and literacy firm. The institution has 3 main services:

Disinformation countermeasures.
Social media intelligence.
Media and Information Literacy (MIL) training.

2022 - 2023

Video Producer / Project Multatuli

For a year, Moses helped developed audiovisual journalism at Project Multatuli, an independent investigative newsroom founded in Jakarta in May 2021. In this project, his main responsibilities included:

Social media video production.
Audiovisual storytelling consultancy.
News explainer production.

2018 - 2023

Digital Verification Journalist / AFP

In 2018, Moses joined Agence France-Presse (AFP) as the global news agency's first recruit for its fact-checking desk in Jakarta. During his time at AFP, Moses' main responsibilities included:

Investigated Indonesian disinformation across social media platforms.
Published fact-checks in English and Indonesian.
Networked with disinformation experts across Asia-Pacific.

2016 - 2018

Newspaper Journalist / The Jakarta Post

In January 2016, Moses started his professional career in media as a reporter for The Jakarta Post, Indonesia's biggest English-language newspaper. He stayed at the Post until 2018, having mainly covered environment, law, and science for the publication.

Education & Training

Moses' polymathic expertises are informed by an eclectic mix of formal education and training in Law, Visual Anthropology, Cyber Investigation, and Film Studies from highly-esteemed institution.

2025

Film Directing and Screenwriting, Griffith University, Australia

A short course scheduled for January 10-26, 2025. Moses will join this program after getting selected in September 2024 as part of its first cohort. Run by Australia Awards Indonesia.

2023

Cyber Investigation, Global Investigative Journalism Network, US

Moses joined the program after getting selected as part of its first cohort comprising 24 journalists across the world. Tutored by seasoned cyber investigation experts Craig Silverman, Jane Lytvynenko, Ettiene Maynier, and Luis Assardo.

2020

Documentary Film Critique, Forum Film Dokumenter, Indonesia

Moses was selected in this short course program run by Indonesia's oldest documentary institution. Coincidentally, his documentary short debut memories/fortress also made into the competition section of that year's Festival Film Dokumenter, Southeast Asia's oldest nonfiction cinema festival also run by Forum Film Dokumenter.

2019-2020

MA Ethnographic and Documentary Film, University College London, UK

Trained as visual anthropologist at one of the highest-ranked Anthropology departments in the world. Acquired comprehensive skills and knowledge in ethnographic documentary production (directing, cinematography, producing, and editing) and visual anthropological theories. Tutored by British leading documentarians Sophie Fiennes, Edward Lawrenson, Carol Salter, and Lucy Harris.

2011-2015

Bachelor of Laws, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia

Graduated with GPA of 3.6/4.0 from Indonesia's top law school, majoring in Agrarian Law. Led Mahkamah, the law school's student magazine. Edited the magazine of the university's scuba diving club.

Professional Skills

With a wide range of skills, Moses always strive to produce excellent outputs in any professional fields he is active.

VISUAL ANTHROPOLOGY

Video-based Field Research
Ethnographic Documentary
Audiovisual Media Training

DISINFORMATION

Fact-checking
Digital Literacy Training
Social Media Intelligence

OTHER MEDIA-RELATED SKILLS

Creative Writing (English and Indonesian)
Op-ed Writing
Media-related Project Management

Awards and Nominations

2025

Solutions Storytelling Project: Asia Fellow, Video Consortium.

2024

Australia Awards, At The Forefront of Film: Screenwriting and Directing, Short Course.
Selected Social Innovator for Pasar Kolaboraya, a civil society gathering supported by Ford Foundation.

2023

[WON] Best Documentary Short, Festival Film Bulanan.
[WON] Best Documentary Director, Bogor Film Festival.
[WON] Best Film, Flobamora Film Festival.
[NOMINATED] Best Documentary Short, Festival Film Dokumenter.
[NOMINATED] Best Visual, Festival Film Bulanan.
[NOMINATED] Best Documentary Short, Bogor Film Festival
[SPECIAL MENTION, 4th PLACE] National Film Critique Prize by the Jakarta Arts Council.

2022

[WON] Best Indonesian Documentary Feature, Festival Film Dokumenter.
[NOMINATED] Best Micro Short Film, Birmingham Film Festival.
[SPECIAL MENTION] Best Documentary Short, ReelOzInd!

2021

[WON] Best Documentary Short, Indiskop Festival.
[WON] Best Indonesian Documentary Short, Jakarta Independent Film Fest.
One of Indonesia's most important documentaries in the past 20 years, Festival Film Dokumenter.

2020

[NOMINATED] Best Documentary Short, Festival Film Dokumenter.

2019

Chevening Awards, Master's Degree Scholarship.

Official Selections

Languages

Indonesian
English
Bataknese

Selected Work

Ethnographic and Documentary Film

Memories for the Future (2024) - Director, Producer, Editor
Bolehkah Aku Mencuri Mimpimu? (2024) - Cinematographer and Editor
Sailum: Song of the Rustling Leaves (2023) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
Dua Hari di Sembunyi (2023) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
Motherland Memories (2022) - Director, Producer, Editor
Panguta Dayak (2022) - Producer
spatiohumanism (2022) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
The Outpouring (2022) - Producer
Triptych from the Burning Land (2021) - Director, Producer, Editor
awakened (2021) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
A Sincere Death (2021) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor
memories/fortress (2020) - Director, Producer, Cinematographer, Editor

Disinformation Investigation

Russia has not 'deployed troops to Indonesia to defend against Australia and US' (AFP)
Video of motorcycle club event falsely shared as 'rally for Indonesian president candidate' (AFP)

Lecture and Media Training

Anthropological Research Method: Visual Ethnography (visiting lecture at University of Indonesia's Anthropology Graduate Program)
Harnessing audiovisual archive for research projects (client: The Center for People and Culture Research, National Research and Innovation Body, or PRMB BRIN)
Introduction to Visual Ethnography (client: University of Indonesia's Center on Child Protection and Wellbeing or PUSKAPA)
Creative Videography (client: the Alliance of Indigenous Peoples of the Archipelago or AMAN)
Mobile Reporting (client: The Jakarta Post)
English-language Fact-checking and Digital investigation (client: Indonesia's Communications and Informatics Ministry)

Op-Ed

'Information warriors' must uphold information integrity in Indonesia (Indonesia at Melbourne)
Berpijak, Berkisah, dan Berdampak: Prospek Dokumenter Pendek Kita Hari Ini (Jawa Pos)

Film Studies

You and I: Bukti Kemenangan Seni atas AI (Special Mention, Film Critique Prize by the Jakarta Arts Council, 2023)
Reflective Subjectivity in Audiovisual Nonfiction: Empowering Global South Media Makers and Decolonizing Storytelling (International Moving Images Cultures Conference 2023)

Reportage

Hoax busters: Indonesia's front line in the war on fake news (AFP)
Indonesian female bureaucrats fall off career ladder (The Jakarta Post or TJP)
Indonesia's regional elections take toll on environment (TJP)
In North Sumatra, farmers prefer mangroves to oil palm (TJP)
Mentawais rise to save customary lands (TJP)
Few know why they children are stunted (TJP)
'Adat' communities want their own special law: Why? (TJP)
Mahariah: Instilling new, green household habits (TJP)

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