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Lived-in pictures: Five films that capture everyday life in Indonesia
When a film stands unfiltered and documents a social landscape, it can be more than a medium for political influence or entertainment; it can be a vessel for truth and progress.
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'Turah' is a drama about villagers living under the shadow of capitalism. (JP/Courtesy of Fourcolours Films)
I
n this so-called “post-truth” era, where narratives are often misleading and dictated by those in power, it is important to always be aware of the social reality that everyday Indonesians inhabit. Films are often used as political tools to dictate dominant narratives, but when a film stands unfiltered and documents a social landscape, it can be more than a medium for political influence or entertainment; it can be a vessel for truth and progress.
Here are five Indonesian films that attentively portray the lived experience of everyday Indonesians.
Turah (2016)
Dir. Wicaksono Wisnu Legowo, 79 mins
Available on Bioskop Online (bioskoponline.com)
Titled Leftovers in English, this film is the story of the marginalized people of Tirang, Tegal, Central Java – the “leftovers” in the title. Living in poverty for years on land that is claimed by rich businessman Darso (Yono Daryono), the villagers succumb to apathy, surrendering to his control. Darso controls their jobs, housing and overall well-being, except for the rebellious villager Jadag (Slamet Ambari), who chooses to fight for his rights with flaring anger.
Turah effectively represents the lives of people impoverished by relations of capital with exploitative landlords and their thugs. The film highlights the incapacity of the state to provide for the community. Government officials are presented as being stuck in useless bureaucratic ruts and neglecting the needs of the villagers, leaving the work to people whom the film dubs “village elites”, such as Darso.
