Teuku Rifnu Wikana (left) as Joko Widodo and Prisia Nasution as his wife, Iriana
Despite resistance from Jakarta Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, a group of filmmakers have released a drama film portraying his humble beginnings.
The movie's producer, KK Dheeraj, from K2K Pictures said that he insisted to continue with the movie because citizens of Jakarta needed to know more about the phenomenal governor.
The movie follows young Jokowi (played by Teuku Rifnu Wikana) from the day he was born. It also shows his family's struggles and how they kept to their roots and religious values to survive adversity.
The story starts in Surakarta, 1961, when Jokowi's father, Notomihardjo (Susilo Badar) is on his old bicycle, rushing to a clinic to meet his wife who is about to deliver a baby. When he passes a raid of street vendors, public officers try to catch him, thinking he is one of the runaway vendors.
One of the officers eventually recognizes him and lets him go. Upon his arrival at the clinic, his wife has delivered a baby boy. Notomihardjo later holds the baby, while saying, 'I will name you Joko Widodo.'
Notomihardjo, a native Javanese, works as a small-scale carpenter who rents a wooden shanty that he can hardly ever pay on time.
Then, needing money urgently to pay the rent, Notomihardjo's wife, Sujiatmi (Ayu Diah Pasha), tells him to sell a set of plates her father had given the couple on the occasion of Jokowi's birth. Unfortunately, Notomihardjo falls from his old bicycle while on his way to sell the plates and breaks them all.
He then has to pawn his antique watch that he received from his father, although the money is still not enough and the small family is forced to leave the house.
Jokowi's family keeps moving from one house to another until they move to his uncle's house, who also offers his father a job, working in the latter's furniture home business. By that time, Jokowi already has two sisters. While working there, Notodihardjo manages to build his own house.
Jokowi grows up to like rock music that he first encounters in 1978 during his high school years. He listens to this music to accompany his studies. He saves to buy cassettes of famous artists like Jimi Hendrix, Queen and the Rolling Stones.
After graduating high school, Jokowi almost loses his chance to continue his education when his father says he has no money to send him to university. His grandfather and his uncle finally collect money to help Jokowi to go to the forestry department of Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta in 1980. The movie shows that Jokowi is a bright student, proven by his excellent marks since elementary school.
Jokowi meets future wife Iriana (Prisia Nasution), his friend's sister, when he returns home during college holidays. It is love at first sight. After finishing his studies in 1985, they get married and he starts his own furniture business. It is then revealed that a French businessman, one of his customers, is the first person to use the famous 'Jokowi' moniker.
After finding success in the furniture industry, in July 2000, Jokowi goes to the house where his father pawned his watch all those years ago. Unfortunately, not long after he gets the watch back, he receives a call informing him of his father's death.
The movie ends with a group of Surakarta citizens watching Jokowi being sworn in as Jakarta governor on television.
Director Azhar Lubis successfully captures the atmosphere of Jokowi's childhood. In 114 minutes, the movie shows us the values that Jokowi's parents had, which later passed on to their children.
Jokowi has yet to comment on the movie, as he missed the gala premiere on June 14. Dheeraj said that he would soon invite the governor to watch the movie.
Director Azhar said at first he had doubts before accepting Dheeraj's offer, as it was a tough challenge to depict a living character.
'Pak Jokowi is still alive, and any sort of mistake can ruin my career in the film industry,' he said. 'But I went on and took my chance.'
The movie was officially released on June 20, which Dheeraj said was aimed at giving a birthday gift for Jokowi, who celebrated his 52nd birthday on June 21.
Jokowi
(114 minutes, K2K Pictures)
Director: Azhar Lubis
Cast: Teuku Rifnu Wikana, Prisia Nasution, Susilo Badar, Ayu Diah Pasha, Landung Simatupang
Producer: KK Dheeraj
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