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‘Susi Susanti – Love All’ shows different side of legendary shuttler
Susi Susanti - Love All is set to hit local cinemas on Oct. 24.
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Laura Basuki (left) and Dion Wiyoko (right) pose with director Sim F. on May 29. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
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n May 1998, demonstrations and riots broke out in parts of Indonesia, marking the beginning of the Reform Era. At the same time, more than 3,200 kilometers from Jakarta, badminton players from the Indonesian national team were fighting for the country's glory at the 1998 Thomas and Uber Cup in Hong Kong.
Legendary shuttler Susi Susanti was among those on the team. Susi’s husband Alan Budikusuma, who is also an Olympic medalist and member of the coaching team, recalled the experience with historical website Historia.id, explaining how Susi's childhood home in Tasikmalaya, West Java, was minutes away from being set on fire by a crowd of people.
The latest trailer of biopic Susi Susanti – Love All shows glimpses of the athlete's life in May 1998 and beyond. There are also bits on Susi's citizenship and her relationship with Alan (Dion Wiyoko). The film, starring Laura Basuki in the titular role, is said to cover the life of the shuttler from her childhood until her retirement from badminton.
When asked about the film's details in an interview with The Jakarta Post, director Sim F. remained tight-lipped. “We don’t want to spoil the movie. The point is [the movie is] about Susi’s life and [what happened] at her tournaments behind the scenes,” he said.
Sim explained the film was very close to real-life events. In an effort to be accurate, for instance, the crew went to find Susi's childhood home in Tasikmalaya, though they found that it was no longer there. "We then tried to find a similar house there," Sim said.
Susi Susanti – Love All marks Sim's directorial debut in a feature-length film. He is otherwise known more for his music videos and television ads. “I was used to handling 30-to-60-second and 20-minute-long [videos], while [this time the film] is more than one hour. The challenge was about how to tell the story and its pace,” Sim said, adding that plans for the film first arose eight years ago.
Read also: Biopic of badminton legend Susy Susanti set for 2019 release
Another challenge for Sim was finding the right actor to play Susi. His decision to pick Laura came after he saw how she acted out the shuttler’s expression when she gazed at the national flag during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics after winning gold.
“Same goes with Dion,” Sim said. “He already has the basic skills in badminton. […] Both have collaborated time and again [in film], so they have good chemistry.”
Though it is not their first time working together, Laura said that she and Dion approached their roles differently this time around. “It’s like carrying a new title, because our roles here are different compared to the ones in previous films,” Laura said.
Dion said he hoped the movie would bring nostalgia and memories of the enthusiasm many felt during Susi’s and Alan’s showings at badminton tournaments. “We’d also like to show Susi’s nationalism to the millennials, along with her struggles and love for her family, God and the country,” Dion said.
Sim expressed hope over the film inspiring audiences. “Hopefully [after watching the movie], people, including the government, can appreciate and support the athletes more,” Sim said.
Susi Susanti - Love All is set to hit local cinemas on Oct. 24. (wng)
