My partner and I, having lived a relatively workaholic lifestyle of late, recently decided to break out our Indo skills once more and watch a DVD called Kekasih – ‘The Lovers.’
Part of the appeal with this particular DVD for me was that the story happens in Yogya. The first 5 minutes gives glimpses of the Jalan Molioboro sign, Tugu (the local monument/roundabout) and sweeping Yogya-like main streets. Oya, KFC makes an appearance too.
Warning: I’m about to ruin the plot for anyone who hasn’t seen it and doesn’t like having their plots ruined and twists revealed!!
The plot is pretty straightforward – boy meets girl, boy and girl share meaningful silences and moments of laughter, girl gets sent away, girl comes back many years later and instantly runs into boy at local helmet shop (incidentally he was also standing beneath the girl’s plane watching it land)….etc etc.
Then the twist – through a series of mishaps (well, a motor accident), we find out that the girl has had heart trouble all along! *Gasp! That (kind of) explains why she was sent away!* The accident has put her in grave danger and without a heart transplant she will surely die! *Double gasp!* Here’s the thing – lover and family end up in the doctor’s office (at what looks to be Yogya international hospital – I went there once, soothing gamelan music at the entrance and you get a free membership card) … anyway they end up in the doctor’s office arguing over who is going to give up their heart for a transplant – apa sih?? I’ve yet to hear of a jurisdiction anywhere in the world that condones that kind of banter in the presence of a medical professional!
Well the outcome is that her dad, after telling a moving story about a fisherman and sacrifice on the beach, gives up his heart for his daughter’s transplant. No mention of the fact he was a 60+ smoker, all sensibility has gone out the window by this stage. One thing’s for sure, I didn’t see it coming.
I love it, don’t let a little reality get in the way of a good, imaginative plot twist. Commendations to the scriptwriters for coming up with the transplant scenario, and for working in so many beautiful beach scenes.
Yay banget! The bioskop is coming to Melbourne-town CBD.
11-20 August. The program starts with five solid screenings of Laskar Pelangi (Rainbow Troops), the movie (and book said movie was based on, and soundtrack by supergroup Nidji….) that took over Indonesia in 200
8. Ask my partner, the soundtrack was on repeat in his kos for months at a time! …And on repeat in the internet cafe, in the shops, on the radio……iya aduuuh!
The book Laskar Pelangi was released prior to the film, and is said to be based on the author’s childhood experiences. I saw the film in Jakarta, then again back here in Melbourne around June at one of three special screenings. I did like it - following the story of some children who attend a small public school in the 1970s, to me the story and characters are something like the Wonder Years-meets-Freedom Writers-meets-part-of-Southeast Asia. The setting off the coast of South Sumatera is quite different to other Indonesian films I’d seen, with the possible exception of the Banyu Biru dream sequence – I’ll save talk of that gem for another time. Laskar Pelangi throws up lots of issues around equity and education, there is enough light relief to get you through the story and to be frank, the odd unfinished subplot didn’t really bother me. After all, what’s an unfinished subplot between new and fictional friends?
I am hoping to see some of the other, lesser known films at the festival. There seems to be a trend in horror films, with Macarbe and Takut (scared) featuring in the program. I think the last time I willingly watched a horror flick was Return to Horror High (not the art world’s finest) in 1998. Twilight does not count as a horror flick. So I may give it a crack now that we’re 9 years and counting into the new millennium – besides, great promo shot (below).
He looks so takut!
Full program at:
http://www.indonesianfilmfestival.com.au/2009%20film_program.html
This is the trailer of the film of the moment at Amplaz and other cinemas around Indonesia – well it was the film of the moment a few weeks ago and I find these things seem to stay popular for at least a month….so I assume this film is still having its moment! Please correct me if I’m salah and something else has taken the country by storm!
Based on a popular book by Habiburrahman El Shirazzy, set in Egypt boy meets girl….love story, aw! That’s about all I discovered during my one day on set as an extra, which mostly involved reading and napping while the shots were set up (it takes longer than yowould think to get all the lighting equipment in and get it right, props to the film professionals out there). That, and that the film was actually largely shot in Egypt, a great opportunity for its young stars. A quick, random nge-Google reveals mixed reviews from ‘masterpiece’ to ‘loses the plot in the second act’ I haven’t actually had the opportunity to see the film yet (hint hint if anyone is sending me DVD-like presents from Indo, would loove to see that pan shot that allegedly includes myself wearing my illusrious flannel shirt, or baju pelanel). Watch the trailer at about second 1.22, the girl to the right of the lead actress is my friend Sarah, who did a wonderfully poised stint as ‘Professor Shirley Lombard’. Go Sarah!
Ketika Cinta Bertasbih has a website with the trailer, testimonials, more trailers, news, events and mercandise…dan seterusnya. There is mention of Australia under the film title so hopefully it will be coming this way at some point for screening the same way Laskar Pelangi did earlier this year: http://www.filmketikacintabertasbih.com/
Ok lah, kopi bangeeet! is just for fun. The rest of these pics are from a kos mate (flatmate’s) wedding in Solo yesterday. It was a Javanese Islamic wedding. Very different style to what we’re used to at home! The man comes to meet the woman, there are a few ceremonies (for eg the man steps on an egg and the woman washes it off to symbolise that she cares for him), and some vows which I don’t really understand as there’s a bit of arabic involved, and the family are involved too, then there’s lots of eating. The bride and groom stand and are greeted by/have photos with every guest… check out the outfits, they’re amazing.
me with kos mates
singer entertains the many guests still sitting while others greet the newly married couple.
in this part of the ceremony the bride and groom ate and drank tea together.
The set-up
The bride waits for her husband to come and meet her before they marry.
There are lots of buskers in Yogya – they might pop on the public bus and do a number in the hope of a few rupiah or, like this guy, cruise the local warungs (places to eat!) and perform. This guy does the Karang Gayam circuit around where I live and only plays Beatles songs.
