Chasing the Sun

The director had resolved to make a film that could appeal to a mass audience. He was successful too, but he couldn’t resist the temptation to give his catchy film a touch of profoundness. It is a story about a specific microcosm that says a lot about the macrocosm of Indonesia and its history. The story is about four childhood friends who grow up in the same area. Ardi, Damar, Apin and Nino share a ritual. Every evening before sunset they run towards the west at dusk, ‘chasing the sun’. Four young men heading for their future. The first shadow falls on this future when a local kid is stabbed to death by the neighbourhood crook Obet. The boys decide to turn the culprit in, but when Obet returns years later, he has not forgotten the event. When Nino’s niece Rara comes to live in the area and both Ardi and Damar fall in love with her, the friendship is put to the test. The figure of Ardi’s father, a stern retired cop, is reminiscent of the authoritarian past of Indonesia. The detailed evocation of life in the area is particularly attractive. The story is told in authentic and cozy surroundings that also offer a context to the kids’ experiences. In all its fluency, the film is also a fine reflection on the importance of a durable friendship. It is a tangibly personal film as well. (GjZ)