| Title | Through Songs, We Share Stories |
|---|---|
| Director | Dony Putro Herwanto |
| Cinematographer/Editor | Abul Ala Maududi Ilhamda |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Year of Production | 2018 |
| VDP Selection Year | Justice-2019 |
| Screen Time | 24min |
| Language | Indonesian |
| Subtitles | English/Japanese |
| Tags | Trauma, Anti-Communism, Chorus, Discrimination, Political Criminal, Song, Memories |
Overview
There are many ways to convey the truth of an event to the next generation, and one of those is through singing what is written. This was the path chosen by the Dialita Choir in uttering the truth of the events they experienced in 1965. Although the lyrics revolve around the beauty of nature, parents, friends and love for the motherland, the Dialita Choir tries to give another perspective in reading the dark history of the event. Besides trying to tell the truth, singing is one way to cure the wounds of stigma and discrimination they have experienced for 53 years.
Dony Putro Herwanto
Director
Born in Ngawi, East Java in 1983. He worked as a journalist at DAAI TV Indonesia for documentary programs until 2021, and has been working as a producer at TV Tempo (Tempo Media Group) since October 2021. Some of his works were selected for documentary film festivals in Indonesia and became finalists in several film festivals in foreign countries, such as at the Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival 2015, Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival 2019, and finalist at the Sound & Images Challenge Film Festival in Macau 2019. He lives in Bogor with his wife and child.
Abul Ala Maududi Ilhamda
Cinematographer, Editor
Abul Ala Maududi Ilhamda was born and lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is a broadcast graduate. He initially loved photography and now works as a documentary videographer at a television station. To date, he has worked as a videographer. Some of his films were selected at domestic film festivals.
Interview with the Director
Why did you make this documentary?
How did you come to work on this theme?
Our reason is that we wanted to provide a vocal space for the survivors of the 1965 genocide that occurred in Indonesia. This is not to open historical wounds, but to display the dark history experienced by survivors through songs written in prison.
Commentary from the Screening Committee Members
HO Yuhang
Film Director
The idea of healing through singing is a refreshing subject for a documentary, and a rather unusual one. In this moving portrayal of women who have survived a terrible tragedy, we are invited to join their healing process in the form of songs. The filmmaker doesn’t show us the violent history they’ve suffered, but chooses instead to show that the present is lived in. They sing themselves into existence so that everything would become bearable again in life. I’d like to read it as a moral choice by the filmmaker where moving on is much more practical than wallowing in the dark past, something which the survivors would probably agree with.
Related Films
-
Nostalgia Senja
This documentary offers a sensitive portrayal of Mr. Gohyong reminiscing about his former days as a successful performer with a Gambang Kromong. Nostalgia Senja foregrounds one man’s lifetime dedication to preserving music in the present, and highlights the pressures some traditional arts face in contemporary Indonesia.- Country
- Indonesia
- Director
- Fazhila Anandya
- Time
- 23min
-
Saya di Sini, Kau di Sana (a Tale of the Crocodile’s Twin)
Crocodiles and humans must share living space within the red zone (tsunami-prone zone). There, they live suspiciously of each other. "Saya di Sini, Kau di Sana" is a thought-provoking documentary film that embarks on a journey to rediscover and reinterpret ancient knowledge preserved in local archives, folk tales, and myths. It delves into the intricate relationship between old narratives and contemporary ecological understanding, uncovering how they can offer valuable insights into our current environmental challenges.- Country
- Indonesia
- Director
- Taufiqurrahman Kifu
- Time
- 18min
-
No Laughing Matter
“No Laughing Matter” is a poignant journey through the art of satire and presents the insights of U Pe Thein, a celebrated political cartoonist. Through a series of unearthed tape recordings from 1996, this documentary delves into the entwined history of political satire and the turbulent political landscape of Myanmar. It also provides a penetrating commentary on free press and political cartoons as mirrors on society.- Country
- Myanmar
- Director
- Pe Maung Same
- Time
- 31min
-
Don’t know much about ABC
This documentary offers an intimate portrayal of a relationship between a father and his son, and the challenges of homeless life on the streets of Phnom Penh. Drawing out the importance of education in opening opportunities to improve one’s lot in life, it traces the everyday challenges that Ron Dara faces raising his son.- Country
- Cambodia
- Director
- Norm Phanith and Sok Chanrado
- Time
- 22min
Hiroyuki Yamamoto
Associate Professor, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Malaysian Area Studies, Media Studies
Half a century of young women, who, despite having taken part in a campaign for social development, had been jailed and accused of treason after a certain day. The feelings that they had failed to be good mothers and thus could not make their own mothers feel as such are expressed in their songs.