Yogya children make films on corruption
Yogya children make films on corruption
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
Widespread corruption in Indonesia has become an alarming concern
by many who fear people might begin to believe that such
practices are part of the country's culture and therefore normal.
Like a malignant cancer, corruption spreads to all aspects of
life, defying all attempts to remove it and it has infected
people of all social classes.
Prompted by deep concerns over corruption here, Yogyakarta-
based children's playgroup and theatrical troupe Anak Wayang
Indonesia recently produced three films made by junior and senior
high school students dwelling on the matter.
The three films were titled Wasiat Slamet (Slamet's
Testament), Secarik Kertas di Persimpangan Jalan (A Piece of
Paper at the Crossroads) and Pahitnya Kopi Tanpa Gula (the
Bitterness of Sugarless Coffee).
The films were recently premiered at the Gadjah Mada
University library and are scheduled to be screened in other
places until September. The films will also be available, in a
limited number, at some VCD shops in Yogyakarta.
These films try to describe corruption through a child's eyes.
The films illustrate what the children encouter in real life --
from the time they begin going to school. In their simple, yet
inquisitive and formative minds, the children quickly learn that
corruption can be found anywhere and in any form, even among
students themselves.
Wasiat Slamet centers on a newspaper boy called Slamet. Every
day the boy reads front page reports of corruption in the
newspapers he sells. He also hears the complaints of pedicab
drivers as they discuss the sham trials of corruptors. His heart
and mind are burdened by what he reads and hears.
One morning, while selling his newspapers at a crossroads and
lost in such thoughts, Slamet gets hit by a car and is near
death. There, with his newspapers scattered all over the road,
the boy lays helpless. A man, who is trying to help him, finds a
piece of paper written by Slamet, revealing the boy's concern
about corruption in this country.
Another film, Secarik Kertas di Persimpangan Jalan, tells a
story of betrayal. Poor Wawan and rich Gilang are friends and
both of them like Ria. At one point, Gilang pays Wawan, a skilled
writer, to write a love poem to Ria. Wawan writes the poem but is
then betrayed by his "friend" who ends up signing the letters as
if they were written by Gilang.
The third film, Pahitnya Kopi Tanpa Gula, tells about Eko, a
spoiled, naughty boy. The boy prefers to spend his school fees
and money given to him to buy books to play games instead. He
also skips school and cheats on his exams. But after the school's
headmaster tells his parents about his wrongdoings, he turns into
a better boy.
Watching the three films one would find it hard to believe
they were produced by junior and senior high school students.
Regardless of a flaw here and there, the films deserve a thumbs-
up. The plots are easy to digest and the quality of the pictures
are not bad. Indeed, they represent excellent achievements for
novice filmmakers.
Through film as media, the children can experience reality
within society, without missing the trivial matters that at
times, escape adults' attention. In their own way, the young
filmmakers tried to make people realize that these trivial
matters could later on degenerate into corruption.
"Corruption has encompassed not only material things but also
spiritual and moral aspects. These films show that young students
believe corruption in this country has reached the level of a
cultural norm. It is really wrong to pay little heed to their
voice," said Noor Aini, the group's advising coordinator.
The film-making itself started in May this year when Anak
Wayang Indonesia organized a basic audio-visual workshop for
teenagers during school holidays. Then, some 15 junior and senior
high school students participated in the workshop, which was
jointly supported by the Institute of Development and Economic
Analysis (IDEA) and Partnership of Governance Reform in Indonesia
(PGRI). After the workshop was completed, the participants
started making their films.
"We were ourselves surprised with these teenagers'
performances. They could handle this film-making process by
themselves, from writing the screenplay to the shooting. They
completed these films within two weeks. They got help only when,
for example, there was some trouble with the camera. They also
handled the films' editing," said TS Adji, the film launching's
coordinator.
Adji said these young filmmakers had a knack for filmmaking
because they were such avid watchers of films on TV and at the
cinema, which gave them a level of familiarity with plots and
film shots. And after learning about film-making in the workshop,
they easily put their new knowledge into practice.
The results were satisfying, comparable to films shown on TV
although the stars were picked from the workshop's participants.
One workshop participant, from SMA 8 high school, Ratna
Sabtuningtyas, said she was happy to take part in the film.
"These films represent our true voice."