Marselli's 'Sri': A glimpse of the modern Javanese woman

By Rayya Makarim

JAKARTA (JP): During the production of his first feature film, Marselli Sumarno suggested an artistic wave on a grand scale.

Since then Indonesian cinema has enjoyed a moment of glory when films made by local directors made the unusual feat of reaching the screens of the 21 chain of movie theaters. Garin Nugroho's Daun di atas Bantal (Leaf on a Pillow) was followed by the 4-in-1 movie Kuldesak (jointly directed by Mira Lesmana, Nan T. Achnas, Riri Riza and Rizal Mantovani). Set to join them is Marselli's long-awaited Sri that will finally hit local theaters this week.

The film tells the story of Sri (Rina Ariyanti), a village girl who is married to Hendro (R.M.T. Rono Suripto), a 70-year- old Javanese aristocrat. Sri's role is to save her husband from the claws of death through negotiations with Yamadipati (Sardono W. Kusumo), the god of death. Her reasons are that Hendro still has debts unpaid. First, he must seek forgiveness from his first wife (Niniek L. Karim) for the wrong he has done her. Secondly, he must return an inherited kris that he clearly does not deserve. And finally, he must pay his respects to his spiritual mentor. Miraculously, through wit and seduction, Sri manages to make a pact with Yamadipati and delay Hendro's death.

Marselli's film is deeply embedded within the Javanese culture. Set in a traditional house in Surakarta, we are immediately reminded of the still prominent Javanese courts. The slow pace of the film reflects the lifestyle commonly associated with what exists behind the keraton (palace) walls.

The film is mostly static, displaying 102 minutes of medium shots, without any unusual camera angles. The shots seem hesitant in becoming intimate with the screen characters, as if they are afraid of revealing more than what is required. Thus, even the camera that is a product of industrial technology must surrender and adjust itself to the restrained rhythm of Javanese life.

The mood presented in Sri is one of serenity and quiet contemplation. Although you may not be part of the culture, there is a familiarity that sedates you, a sense of nostalgia that keeps you interested. Shots of elderly batik workers coming to the house to work are some of the endearing scenes. In addition, the inclusion of conversations between the old servant providing words of wisdom to the young servant, who is full of naive curiosity, is an important perspective.

There are, however, a number of repetitive scenes. It is not clear whether the director did this to illustrate the ordinary rote of day-to-day activity or that he merely was lacking in film stock. We could definitely have done with fewer scenes of Sri sitting at Hendro's feet while covering him with a blanket. Likewise, the numerous zoom-ins of photographs are some examples of less motivated scenes that neither add new information to the story nor offer any kind of symbolic significance.

The acting is fair. The small roles of the servants, batik workers, messengers and dukun (soothsayers) are examples of brilliant casting. Nevertheless, the larger roles, with the exception of Hendro and the first wife, prove to be less convincing.

Marselli, who also wrote the screenplay for Sri, intended to sculpt an identity of the unassuming yet power-conscious and calmly restrained version of today's Indonesian woman. "It is a story of every modern Javanese woman," said the first-time director. However, Sri, as portrayed by Rina Ariyanti, lacks the ambition and power that is required of her. Instead, we are supplied with a more pathetic version that is not comfortable with her position as head of the household.

More crucial, and probably the most puzzling part of the film, is the characterization of Yamadipati. Do not expect the god of death to be as intense, serious and graceful as you would expect Sardono to be in any one of his masterly crafted dance performances. Like the master in Zhang Yimou's Raise The Red Lantern, one who possesses so much power needs to be felt, but not necessarily seen. In Sri, however, the camera loves Sardono, giving him ample screen time to exploit almost all the theatrical gestures he can think of. There is a small suspicion that Sardono's animated performance is a way to break the monotony of the film. He is bold, but less than what we expected.

Besides the drawn-out scenes, the lack of good acting and the rather unremarkable camerawork, Sri rates number one in terms of story. When so many Indonesian films are lacking in good screenplays and focused plots, Marselli manages to maintain the spine of his. The solid storyline keeps the film from disintegrating into what could have become a disjointed, boring film. Fortunately, never once does Marselli deviate from the main plot, and never once is he tempted to stray from the gracefulness of sheer simplicity.