Showdown: Archival footage used in Setelah 15 Tahun shows police lining the streets during a demonstration. Courtesy of Tino Saroengallo

If I were to name a recent Indonesian film that has been so ambitious in bringing up all of the nation's political problems, it would be Setelah 15 Tahun (After 15 Years).

The documentary touches upon a wide array of subjects, ranging from rampant poverty in the post-Soeharto era, corruption, the proliferation of religious mass organizations, sectarian conflict, unresolved human rights abuse cases all the way to the return of New Order generals to national politics. The 93-minute film is a chronicle of Indonesia's failure to keep pace with the political agenda of Reform.

Narrated by actor and comedian Tora Sudiro (recently seen in Monty Tiwa's Get M4rried), Setelah 15 Tahun begins with the 1997 Asian economic crisis, using footage from television, among other sources, to depict key events in Soeharto's downfall and the rise of Reform, such as the riots in several cities, the shooting of the Trisakti students, the May riots and eventually the general's resignation.

Tora Sudiro: The famous actor is also the narrator of Setelah 15 Tahun. Courtesy of Tino Saroengallo

The director, Tino Saroengallo, made another documentary on Reform in 2004 titled The Student Movement in Indonesia, using similar techniques to capture the spirit of the time. However, given that the main content of Setelah 15 Tahun focuses on contemporary politics, this documentary is different ' partly a pilgrimage, partly a bold statement that the struggle should continue. Mostly, however, it is a pessimistic look at Indonesia's political future in the near term.

Tino interviews a host of individuals, including activists, students, artists, an economist, a libriarian and the parents of several missing people. Some are known for their activism in 1998 and figured in Student Movement. Others, judging from their talk, are younger university students who have no direct experience with the events of 1998.

Although many of the interviewees are publicly known, none are identified by name, as if to imply that the regime's collapse was due to the collective work of people from all walks of life. In doing so, the documentary suggests that the problems that started the Reform movement still persist 15 years later, and continue to involve every member of society ' whether or not they were engaged in bringing Soeharto down in 1998.

As most of the interviewes tell us, the heyday of 1998 has turned into a political loss for pro-democracy activists ' and a victory for New Order cronies. Worse still, some of the 1998 activists have been depicted as joining their former archenemies, namely, the Golkar Party and its splinter groups such as Nasdem, Gerindra and Hanura'two of which are new parties led by generals dogged by a host of alleged human rights violations.

As one former activist said in the film: 'During the Soeharto era, the pro-democracy movement was defeated by the M-16 [US-made rifle], but it now has been defeated by 16M [Rp 16 million]'. Seen through Tino's lens, Reform is a revolution betrayed.

Among the issues highlighted by Tino is the successful comeback of New Order generals. Referencing the recent Cebongan prison massacre (where four detainees were allegedly murdered by Army Special Forces commandos in their cell), the documentary looks at the generals who were never tried for alleged human hights violations. Within only 15 years, these generals have returned to the stage. Reinventing themselves as populist or nationalist leaders to court those disappointed with the failure of successive post-Soeharto administrations to deliver prosperity, the generals have launched campaigns that have won the hearts and minds of the masses.

Director: Tino Saroengallo offers his critique of the progress made by the reform movement in the documentary Setelah 15 Tahun, currently screening at selected cinemas. Courtesy of Tino Saroengallo

A prominent economist interviewed for the film says that if the three political parties form a coalition for next year's election, it will be the 'official comeback' of the New Order. Like it or not, as several interviewees suggest, the generals have shrewdly exploited the democratic process that they once stood in sharp opposition to ' and for which they have never fought.

However, as a political documentary, Setelah 15 Tahun is not really a thorough observation of contemporary Indonesian politics. Whereas the title might suggest a retrospective look at Reform, the film quickly becomes preoccupied with the serial commentary of older activists, who, in pessimistic tones, remind us of the truths that we are all too familiar with.

The interviews are themselves problematic. The film does not bother to cover both sides. For example, no interviews are made with Reform comrades who are now in the Golkar party. Did they jump ship for their own well-being? Or was that all part of their political strategy in the first place? We have no idea, as we are left with no further explanation on why and how such things happened.

While arguing that Reform has been hijacked by elites with ties to the New Order, Setelah 15 Tahun does not provide any counterarguments. Yes, the film warns of the emergence of generals through electoral politics. This is the conventional wisdom. However, the film would have done better to explain why and how this has happened.

Focusing too much on hard facts about today's predicament, the film is more concerned with next year ' an election year ' than with 'fifteen years after 1998'.

The film provokes. It agitates. But, unfortunately, it's lack of nuance fails to offers us new insights.

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The author is the editor of Cinema Poetica


Setelah 15 Tahun is screening at selected Cinema 21 theaters in Bekasi, Jakarta, Jogjakarta, Makassar and Tangerang. Visit facebook.com/Setelah15Tahun for more details