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Wiji Thukul biopic to debut in Switzerland
Cemara Dinda
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Tue, July 19 2016 | 09:47 am
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Where art thou?: Gunawan Maryanto (right) as Wiji Thukul with two other actors playing
Wiji’s friends Martin and Thomas in a scene from Istirahatlah Kata-Kata (Solo, Solitude).
After an incident on July 27, 1996, Wiji Thukul fled Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and
unfortunately still remains missing until today. (Courtesy of KawanKawan Film)
After a victory at the Cannes Film Festival in May, another aspiring filmmaker from
Indonesia is set to wow audiences at the upcoming 69th Locarno International Film
Festival in Switzerland.
Director Yosep Anggi Noen will have his second full-length feature film Istirahatlah Kata-
Kata (Solo, Solitude) added to this year’s festival selection.
The film tells the story of the missing poet, Wiji Thukul, or more simply known as
Thukul, after fleeing Pontianak, West Kalimantan, after riots on July 27, 1996.
Thukul, who disappeared in 1998 allegedly due to his harsh criticism of the New Order
regime, is seen as one of the most important figures in the founding of Indonesian
democracy. Unfortunately, his case remains unresolved as his whereabouts until today is
unknown.
The title of the film is borrowed from one of Thukul’s poems, which was published in
1988.
Yosep told The Jakarta Post that he was moved by Thukul’s simplicity and honesty.
“He was an everyday person just like you and me, who was very critical at that time in the
90s. His poems opened up the notion of democracy against authoritarian rule,” he said.

3. Producer Yulia Evina Bhara also agrees on the impact Thukul brought to his generation
for the development of democracy
“Telling his story means telling our history. Istirahatlah Kata-Kata is one effort of ours to
remember that the freedom we breathe was largely the result of the struggles of many
people. And Thukul is one of them,” she said.
Through this film, Yosep hopes to reach out to as many people in Indonesia as possible
and share Thukul’s vision of a prosperous nation, as well as remind people of some
unanswered questions of its political history.
Yosep said the movie targeted the younger audience, who seemed ignorant of political
issues despite their strong attachment to technology and the internet.
He expects that film can be an alternative medium to attracting the young generation to
learn more about the country’s history and politics, including the story of Thukul.
“This film is to enrich our knowledge and open up discussions about important issues or
events aesthetically and creatively, setting aside those heavy history books, as more
informal ways of learning,” he said.
Istirahatlah Kata-Kata gives a rich description of Thukul as an individual, including his
dilemmas and problems of choosing between family and his country.
“As a hero, Thukul is an ordinary human. The year he fled was a turning point in his life.
He chose to continue fighting for his cause and trust in the power of words and critical
poems,” Yosep said.
Istirahatlah Kata-kata has been listed in the “Concorso Cineasti del presente” section of
the prominent festival.
The section is dedicated for up-and-coming filmmakers around the world to feature their
first or second features.
Yosep’s first feature movie Vakansi yang Janggal dan Penyakit Lainnya (Peculiar Vacation
and Other Illnesses) was also featured in the same festival in 2012.
Having a second premier at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival, Yosep hopes he can get
his foot into the national film scene, like that of the success of Siti, which won the 2015
Best Film at the Indonesian Film Festival and managed to enter commercial theaters after
huge success in various international festivals.

4. However, Yulia highlighted a different issue, saying that an international release is a safer
option as the production team fears that the film will not be easily accepted because of the
controversial issues surrounding Thukul’s disappearance.
This is the second time an Indonesian filmmaker has gained worldwide recognition this
year. In May, Wregas Bhanutedja won the Leica Cine Discovery Prize at the Cannes Film
Festival for the best short film with Prenjak/In the Year of Monkey.
____________
The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post
The Jakarta Post
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