On one hand, it is as though Pangku continues Indonesian cinema’s long-held storytelling tradition of motherhood struggles. On the other hand, Pangku unfolds in such an unhurried sense of realism, devoid of the dramatic bombast to which most Indonesian filmmakers would typically resort.

But perhaps that’s the best way to tell the story of Pangku’s maternal heroine. More importantly, that’s also perhaps how Reza had wished to introduce himself as a film director in the first place. After the film’s press screening on Oct. 28, he divulged that he wished to be known as the kind of film director who is “in tune with the realism built in the scene.”

“I’m quite hands-on on how things are visually created, both in terms of how to determine an angle and in terms of how to choose a certain spot,” shared Reza in a one-on-one chat. “I [still] don’t know what kind of director I am, considering this is my first film [as a director]. But, if I could self-proclaim, maybe that’s the kind of director I am.”

Even though Reza is still discovering who he is as a film director, he is certain of one thing. As a director, he doesn’t like to direct the “audience’s feelings.”

“Even as I prepared the script and developed the film, sometimes the producers would provide some input like whether I should add more enhancements to the shot and make it more tearful and such,” he continued. “But I said, ‘No, no, let’s not do that.’ I don’t want to direct that kind of feeling. Let the [audience] feel whatever they feel.”

Emerging director: Beyond directing, Reza Rahadian (center) also cowrote the screenplay for 'Pangku', marking a deeper creative involvement in his first feature. (Gambar Gerak Film/-)