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Prescribed Text:
Background to the film Langitku, Rumahku
Notes on author and director
|
Director
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Slamet Rahardjo Djarot |
|---|---|
|
Screenplay
|
Slamet Rahardjo Djarot |
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Producer
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Eros Djarot
Doddy Sukasih Boy Salehuddin |
|
Year of production
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1990 |
The director, Slamet Rahardjo Djarot, is one of Indonesia's foremost independent directors. He was born in 1949 in Serang, West Java and has been involved in the Indonesian film industry for many years, as both an actor and director. He has worked closely with his younger brother, Eros Djarot, and the late Teguh Karya in a number of projects. His services to the Indonesian film industry have been recognised in his appointment to the Badan Pertimbangan Perfilman Indonesia.
The films he has directed include Rembulan dan Matahari (1980), Seputih hatinya, semerah kertas (1982), Ponirah (1983) which won an award at the Nantes International Film Festival, Kembar Kertas (1984), Kodrat (1986), Kasmaran (1987), Langitku Rumahku (1990), Fatamorgana (1992), Anak Hilang (1993), Telegram (2000) and Marsinah (2001). He has also directed many telemovies (sinetron).
He has also acted in a number of films including Pasir Berbisik (2001), Tjoet Nja'Dhien (1988), Kodrat (1985), Di Balik Kelambu (1983), November 1828 (1975) and Wajah Seorang Laki-laki (1972).
Contextual background
In 1989 Slamet Rahardjo, and his younger brother Eros Djarot (director of Tjoet Nja'Dhien, the first Indonesian film to be invited to the Cannes Film Festival) set up their own production company, Ekapraya Film, and produced Langitku Rumahku.
At the end of the 1980's Indonesia was in a period of economic growth. Pembangunan (development) was a national priority and Suharto was known as Bapak Pembangunan. Living standards rose markedly until krismon and the collapse of the Indonesian economy in 1997. In Indonesia increased prosperity, especially of the middle class, under the policies of the Suharto government was often associated with a decline of political and democratic rights.
The film Langitku Rumahku juxtaposes the two Indonesias of Suharto's rule with the meeting between the boy from the slums and the rich boy. The film makes a powerful comment on the social divide between the two and could be interpreted as a subtle criticism of the state's betrayal of the ideals of the Indonesian revolution and the replacement of social idealism with fascist like nationalism. This may have contributed to the controversy the film created in Indonesia.
Langitku Rumahku won:
- three awards at the Festival des 3 Continents in Nantes, France, 1990
- the UNICEF Award at the Berlin International Children's Film Festival, 1991
- the Best Children's Film Award the Melbourne Film Festival, 1991
It was also nominated for a silver screen award for the best feature film at the Singapore International Film Festival 1991.
Despite winning these major overseas prizes, the film had only limited distribution in Indonesia because of a disagreement with the financial conglomerate controlling film distribution. The distribution company was owned by ex-President Suharto's step-brother, the businessman Sudwikatmono. The film was withdrawn from the multiplex chain of cinemas in Jakarta after only one day due to poor performance at the box office. Slamet Rahardjo took Sidwikatmono's company to court and many people in the film community believed that the withdrawal of the film infringed a regulation that all Indonesian films should be allowed at least three days of distribution in order to test the market. The case dragged on for two years or more, but in the end was lost. This was not surprising because most lawsuits against members of the Suharto failed during the New Order period.
The withdrawal and legal challenge attracted a lot of media attention in Indonesia. Questions were asked as to why the film had not received the top prize at the 1990 Indonesian Film Festival. When the film was banned for a student screening in Yogyakarta, apparently by a minor local official, the National Film Council demanded an explanation. The screening went ahead after the mayor of Yogyakarta overturned the ban. The film was eventually distributed in other parts of Indonesia after Slamet Rahardjo set up an alternative distribution network.
Overview of the film
Summary
The film explores the friendship that develops between Andri and Gempol, two 12 year-old boys from diverse backgrounds. Andri is from a wealthy family and lives in an affluent suburb but his father is too busy with his work to pay him the attention he craves. Gempol, who is from a slum family that migrated to Jakarta in search of work, cannot afford to go to school and sells used newspapers to support his family.
The film opens by contrasting the crowded shanty dwellings of the Jakarta poor with the mansions of the rich. Gempol is caught looking in on Andri's lesson at school. The school suspects him of stealing, but Andri has no such preconceptions and the boys strike up a friendship before Gempol is removed from the school grounds.
One day Gempol returns to find that the whole shanty town has been razed to the ground and that his family has been taken away. A close bond develops between the boys as they bridge their social differences and embark on an adventure that takes them to Surabaya in search of Gempol's family.
Along the way they ponder over whether it is better to be poor and free or rich and unhappy.
Setting
The film is set in Jakarta, Surabaya and a village near Madiun in East Java.
Jakarta is a city of many contrasts, with luxury homes in elite suburbs and slum areas. Kampung clearances were common in Jakarta in the late 1980s and 1990's as the Jakarta landscape was transformed. Cheap housing along railway lines and waterways, where many of the itinerant poor lived, was destroyed and turned into office blocks and apartment towers. Other activities that were considered to block the roads were controlled e.g. becaks were removed from the city centre, food vendors were moved to multi-storeyed complexes etc.
Characters
| Characters Living with Andri | |
|---|---|
| Andri | Despite living a sheltered life in a luxurious residence with servants, Andri's only real friend is Pak Dimik. His mother died when he was very young and he craves the attention of his father. Andri is a kind-hearted boy who tends to be a bit cheeky and sometimes stretches the truth. |
| Peris | Andri's older sister is rather selfish and is easily irritated. She orders the servants about. |
| Papa | Andri's father is a businessman who is very distant and formal in his relationship with his children. He is uncomfortable in his role as father and generally delegates his family responsibilities to Peris and the servants. |
| Balung | Old female family servant who looks after Andri. |
| Pak Dimik | Servant whose duties include driving Andri to school. He has a very good relationship with Andri. |
| Sarti, Supiah, Sopir | Other servants employed in Andri's father's household. |
| Characters Living with Gempol | |
|---|---|
| Gempol | Gempol lives in a shanty town, surrounded by warm-hearted people. He helps his family by collecting and selling old newspapers. He would love to continue his schooling. One day he returns to find that all the dwellings have been razed to the ground. His name means 'fat'. |
| Bapak Gempol | Gempol's father, formerly a bamboo weaver, also collects papers. |
| Emak Gempol | Gempol's mother. |
| Benik | Gempol's baby sibling. |
| Unyeng | Plays guitar and sings philosophically. He stays around after the demolition of the slum dwellings and takes Gempol under his wing, much like a surrogate uncle. |
| Minor Characters |
|---|
- Neighbours in the slum
- Si Molly (Gempol's dog) who later disappears, presumably having been eaten.
- Teacher and pupils from school (Edi, Dedi, Santi, Agung)
- Van driver and helper going to Dungus.
- Villagers who are questioned as the boys try to find Gempol's grandmother.
- Cempluk is the young girl in the village who knows Gempol. The boys spend the night in the home of Mak Cempluk, the girl's mother.
- Market sellers and householders who are questioned by the boys when they try to find the grandmother in Surabaya.
- Thief who follows the boys and threatens Andri with a knife. He takes most of their money. They encounter him again when they are working as parking attendants.
- Fat lady boss at the warung and a few customers.
- Other street kids who work as parking attendants, and their vicious boss.
- Mother and daughter who own the wallet the boys have recovered.
- Female passenger, conductor and policeman on the train back to Jakarta.
- Station attendant on the platform when Gempol catches the train back to Surabaya.