Rumi and Yulia, doesn’t that sound a little like…? Indeed, the Indonesian grandmaster Garin Nugroho casually allowed himself to be inspired by Shakespeare for this love epic spanning three decades. As neighbouring kids in the 1970s, Rumi and Yulia share good times and bad, but the difficult relationship between their parents keeps them apart. When they grow up, this factor is joined by the chaos in their own lives.
Nugroho also exploits this story of a relationship to reveal the background to the social chaos in Indonesia in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Whereas the proud, independent nation is at first able to export its natural wealth, this is later superseded by Western products, despite fierce protests in the 1980s. Stylistically, Nugroho refers playfully to the film styles of the relevant periods: from the brightly coloured pop musicals of the 1970s to the grubbier indie films of the 1990s.
Film details
- Country of production
- Indonesia
- Year
- 2015
- Festival edition
- IFFR 2016
- Length
- 90'
- Medium/Format
- DCP
