By: Rafselia Novalina and Syevira Citra

The Rimbang Baling Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the remaining hilly forests in Riau that has the potential to be a habitat for Sumatran Tigers. This area has a beautiful panorama with its hilly topography. There is the Subayang River with white sandy banks whose clear water flows through the area. The river is not only a source of life for living things there, but also the main transportation route for local people.

Last July, WWF-Indonesia produced a short film that tells the story of the importance of river water for the villagers and the existence of the Sumatran Tiger and its habitat, wrapped in the local wisdom of the Rimbang Baling community. The film was made to raise awareness of the interconnectedness of tigers, forests and water, and to introduce the fresh-water project in the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Sanctuary. The movie was shot in Muara Bio Village, one of many villages whose residents depend on the Subayang River.

The film, titled "Rivers for All", was premiered on August 8-9, 2015 in Muara Bio Village, Kampar Kiri Hulu District, Riau to commemorate Global Tiger Day. The event, a collaboration between WWF-Indonesia Riau Program and Tiger Heart Riau, included environmental education activities for elementary school students as well as campaign actions to save the Sumatran Tiger and its habitat within the village community. On the first day of the event, around 150 villagers including WWF-Indonesia Riau Program and Tiger Heart Riau team enthusiastically watched the 10-minute film. Unexpectedly, at the end of the movie screening, the audience claimed to be touched by the movie.

At the end of the "Nonton Bersama" (nobar) session that night, the people of Muara Bio Village expressed their hope that the natural preservation of the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Sanctuary can continue to be maintained. Through the experience of watching the movie "Sungai untuk Semua", they realized that the river is the source of life. If the river is damaged, there will be no source of clean water and transportation will be disrupted. "We must also love animals and trees. We should not just kill animals. If we kill them, there will be no food for the tigers," said Farrell, a second grader who joined the movie that night.