Vague story clouds 'Pasir Berbisik'<\/p>\n
By Hera Diani<\/p>\n
Pasir Berbisik, **1\/2 out of four stars;
\nDrama, 106 minutes ;
\nStarring Christine Hakim, Slamet Rahardjo, Dian Sastrowardoyo,
\nDidi Petet, Desi Fitri, Drs. Purnomo (Mang Udel), Karlina Inawati
\nDirected by Nan T. Achnas;
\nA joined production of Salto Production, Camilla Internusa Film,
\nChristine Hakim Film and NHK (The Japan Broadcasting Corporation)<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A couple years ago, a writer wrote a review on
\nIndonesian films in one of the country's leading newspapers,
\npanning the new filmmakers for depicting \"artist egocentrism\".<\/p>\n
The writer also pointed out that their films reached a limited
\naudience when it was actually the filmmakers who failed to make
\nit a more enjoyable and understandable film.<\/p>\n
What the writer said in the article crossed my mind after
\nwatching Pasir Berbisik (Whispering Sand), the latest release
\nfrom the local film industry.<\/p>\n
Having another Indonesian film playing in the theater is, of
\ncourse, a relief, considering the slow revival of the country's
\nfilm industry.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, the very same mistake noted by the writer is
\nagain repeated by this film's creator.<\/p>\n
Pasir Berbisik, which is scheduled to hit the theaters this
\nFriday, continues in the tradition of director Garin Nugroho with
\ngreat scenes shot in exotic locations and little dialog.<\/p>\n
The film was shot last year at Parang Kusumo beach in Central
\nJava and in a deserted area of Mount Bromo in East Java.<\/p>\n
The story centers on the lives of a mother, Berlian
\n(Christine) -- a jamu herbal drink vendor and an assistant to a
\ntraditional midwife, and her teenage daughter Daya (Dian).<\/p>\n
Daya's father, a traveling medicine peddler named Agus
\n(Slamet), left them when she was young, leaving her with a
\nconstant longing for a father figure.<\/p>\n
One day, their village is burned down to the ground (why? who
\ndid it?), forcing Berlian and Daya to move to another village in
\na deserted area.<\/p>\n
There, Daya becomes close friends with Sukma (Desi) and
\neventually meets her father, who returns to the family.<\/p>\n
Soon, Daya's image of her adventurous and brave father is
\nshattered when Agus sells her to an evil merchant, Suwito (Didi).<\/p>\n
With a production cost of about Rp 3 billion (US$333,333), the
\nfilm has some beautiful shots, thanks to its editing process by
\nSentot Sahid and the post production stage being done at Atlab in
\nSydney, where Hollywood movies like The Matrix, Mission
\nImpossible II and Moulin Rouge were also processed.<\/p>\n
Since most of the actors are top notch, they give the usual
\ngreat performance. Even Diah, a newcomer, is not disappointing
\n(except for forgetting to put on a Javanese accent, which sounds
\nstrange).<\/p>\n
These great shots, however, fail to come together to tell a
\ngreat story, and there is a lack of emotional punch throughout
\nthe entire film.<\/p>\n
Berlian, who is supposed to be an overprotective and stubborn
\nmother according to the film's synopsis, does not appear to be
\nthat stubborn in the film. The mystical world under the sand,
\nwhere Berlian buried fetuses of aborted babies, also failed to be
\ncaptured.<\/p>\n
Some characters and situations are also left unexplained due
\nto the unclear time period the movie was set in and its limited
\ndialog.<\/p>\n
Rayya Makarim, who wrote the script along with director Nan,
\nsaid the story's concept about the location was from the
\nbeginning set in never-never land, thus a timetable was not
\ncrucial. Just like when the village was burned down, it could
\nhappen anywhere at anytime.<\/p>\n
As for the sparse dialog, Nan said that was deliberate. \"There
\nhas to be some space for the audience to interpret it. A film
\ndoesn't have to give all of it away to its audience,\" she said
\nrecently during the film's launch.<\/p>\n
Still, giving the audience space to interpret does not mean
\nmaking them completely lost, which is exactly what this film
\ndoes.<\/p>\n
The crew and the cast clearly implied that they did not want
\nto make a typical Indonesian or Hollywood-style movie. Well,
\nalthough selling out is certainly not an option, even the most
\nindependent foreign films stick to the most basic standard of
\nfilm-making, that is, to tell a story.<\/p>\n
While the spirit to make a film in the middle of the crisis
\nhas to be taken into account, it is not right to blame the
\naudience for disrespecting one's hard work and only being used to
\neasy-to-digest movies. Simply put, it is accusing the audience of
\nnot being smart enough.<\/p>\n
In reality, there are dozens of smart moviegoers out there who
\ndeserve better entertainment that is intellectually stimulating
\nthan what is delivered by a so-called art movie.<\/p>",
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