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'Memories' controversy continues as Padang calls for immediate ban
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Intimate tradition: A scene from Garin Nugroho’s 'Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku' (Memories of My Body) shows a teenage Juno in the embrace of his dance master. (Courtesy of IMDB.com/-)
T
he controversy surrounding the movie Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (Memories of My Body) continues unabated, as the administration of Padang in West Sumatra has called for an immediate ban on the film.
Padang Deputy Mayor Mahyeldi said the film contained elements that ran counter to the religious, social and cultural norms in the region.
“It is true that we object to any public screening of the film in Padang. We have sent a letter to the Film Censorship Board [LSF], in addition to the Education and Culture Ministry, the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission [KPI] and the West Sumatra governor’s office requesting an immediate ban on the film,” Mahyeldi said on Thursday, as quoted by kompas.com.
He went on to say that the film’s contentious thematic content could trigger disturbances or conflicts among the residents of Padang.
“The film contains themes that allude to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender [LGBT] community, which is prohibited in Padang,” he said, adding that he expected a swift response from the government.
The Padang administration’s rejection of Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku comes on the heels of similar complaints regarding the film lodged by the Depok administration in West Java and the Palembang administration in South Sumatra.
The controversy surrounding the movie also caused a stir on social media following an online petition for a public boycott.
Released internationally as Memories of My Body, the film by acclaimed Indonesian director Garin Nugroho was accorded the Cultural Diversity Award of the 2018 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) and has been screened at several international film festivals, including in Rotterdam and Venice, and at UNESCO's Paris headquarters.
Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku tells the story of Juno, a Javanese male dancer, over four periods in his life. The film explores the themes of identity and the nature of masculinity. (rfa)
