'TPI' presents maternity-theme trilogy

'TPI' presents maternity-theme trilogy

By Marselli Sumarno

JAKARTA (JP): Three renowned directors, Garin Nugroho, Slamet
Rahardjo and Teguh Karya, have something in common. Each of them
has made a film with the same theme of maternity.

The trilogy is produced in cooperation with John Hopkins
University, the National Coordinating Family Planning Board and
TPI.

TPI showed the first film, Garin's Angin Rumput Savana (Wind
of the Savanna), on Tuesday while the second film, Slamet's
Selamat Pagi Ayah dan Ibu (Good Morning Mom and Dad), was shown
on Thursday. Each of them was shown twice, at 10 a.m. and at 7:30
p.m. The third, Teguh's Perkawinan Siti Zubaedah (Siti Zubaedah's
Wedding), is scheduled to be shown on Tuesday, at the same hours.
The three directors underline the importance of maternity health
in childbirth.

Indonesian film directors started their cooperation with John
Hopkins in the early 90s. John Hopkins, which is based in
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, is an institute dealing with
health communications. The projects, involving the late Arifin C.
Noer, Teguh Karya and Slamet Rahardjo, have a theme of population
and the environment.

The subject of maternity health was chosen this time because
of the high mortality rate in Indonesia, which reached a number
of 425 per 100,000 people, which was disclosed during a recent
press conference.

Garin Nugroho was the first to complete his 74-minute film, at
a cost of Rp 200 million. The film, written by Adi Nugroho, was
shot on Sumba Island. The main character is a woman named Wulang
(Maudy Koesnadi) who goes to a medical school in Java. Wulang
returns home and meets two of her childhood friends, Umbu Awang
and Intan, who are already married.

Wulang is coerced into marriage by her parents who want her to
become the second wife of Umbu Awang. An educated woman, she
refuses the arranged marriage. Also, because Intan is about to
give birth to a child.

The conflicts, combined with the traditional setting of a
village dominated by a wide and vast landscape, makes Garin's
film an expressive piece of art. He tries to mix anthropology
with an artistic touch, which is typical of his craft.

Slamet Rahardjo chose Sukabumi, West Java, as the location for
Selamat Pagi Ayah dan Ibu. He too used relatively new performers
for his film.

The story focuses on a woman who had a traumatic experience
when she was small: witnessing her mother's death after
childbirth.

The girl became a teacher when she grew up. She was reluctant
to get married (not to mention deliver a baby) because of her
traumatic experience during childhood.

After a skirmish plot, written by Slamet Rahardjo and Jujur
Prananto, she decides to marry. A happy ending.

Meanwhile, Teguh Karya chose Jakarta, including his workshop
Sanggar Teater Populer, as backdrop for Perkawinan Siti Zubaedah.
Teguh transformed his workshop into a Betawi wedding house. He
also recruited former Teater Populer artists like Alex Komang and
Ayu Azhari for his film.

Zubaedah is a neglected wife. When Zubaedah (played by Ayu
Azhari) is in the hospital, her husband (Alex Komang) hardly ever
comes home. And when she has a hemorrhage giving birth, she is
confronted with the fact that her husband marries another woman.

While Garin Nugroho uses an anthropological approach, Slamet
Rahardjo uses a psychological one, and Teguh Karya looks at the
problem through a sociological lens. Who is the best among the
three? The answer to this question is not important compared to
the question: Would the viewers be able to get the message of
these educational films? or Could an educational film be
entertaining?