Effort for Love, director Ani Ema Susanti
Ruwati and Riantini are two migrant workers who work as domestic helper in Hong Kong. They are well paid and become the important bread winner for the family in Java. From the outside, we see them as accomplished women. But, they are facing dilemmas in their love life. Ru is about to go home to get married, but just found out she has a cervical tumor. The treatment requires internal examination that can damage her virginity. Riantini is a divorcee who fell in love with a fellow migrant worker in Hong Kong. In the midst of guilt and happiness, will both women be able to decide what is important in life and love.
What’s the poin?, directors Iwan Setiawan & M. Ichsan
The film gives a closer look at the practice of female circumcision in Indonesia. Although female circumcision in Indonesia doesn’t remove the whole part of the women’s clitoris and labia, like the exercise done in Africa, it is still widely acceptable. The reason is to ‘clean’ the girl and prevent the girl from evil spirit that leads her to being promiscuous. Even up until today, many people are not aware of the threat from the practice. The film will bring the audience to see the chaotic beliefs and context behing female circumcision.
Miss. Mrs.?, director Lucky Kuswandi
In Jakarta, women can easily have access to Glossy magazines, designer labels-or the latest cosmetics. But, finding a non-judgemental ob/gyn is not easy. The film follows the quest of single and unmarried women in getting the right treatment for their reproductive health. Most get unfriendly gestures from the hospital nurses and doctors. When an unmarried woman wants to find the right contraception, she doesn’t get approval from the nurses and doctors and is lectured on morality instead. The film questions the importance of health versus moral judgment.
Our Children’s Fund, director Ucu Agustin
Chinese cemeteries are renowned for their big and elaborate graves. People believe the higher the land, the closer the spirit will be to heaven. In East Java lies an infamous Chinese cemetery on Mount Bolo. After the sunset Mount Bolo gives a different type of service to the public and transform into an illegal prostitution area. Nur and Mira are mothers who are hammering and selling stones at the river close by. However, the daily pay from that job alone won’t be enough for their basic expenses. On Mount Bolo, with a standard fee of 10.000 rupiah (US $1 per session), these women have to serve men seeking sex at night on the hard surface of the Chinese family graves, only to make ends meet.
Biography of the Directors :
Ucu Agustin
Ucu started to write for magazines since she was a college student, majoring in Islamic study. After graduating, she continued her career as a freelance columnist writing about human rights issues in various publications. Then, she experimented with short documentary. One of her films ‘Death in Jakarta’ won the Jakarta International Film Festival script development program in 2005.
Lucky Kuswandy
Lucky graduated from Art College of Design Pasadena, California. He’s been an art and film freak since and as a film maker focuses on short film and short documentary. ‘Still’ (2005), ‘Black Cherry’ (2005) and ‘Letter of Unprotected Memories’ (2008) are his works that have been traveling to many international film festivals. He also has a passion for introducing minority films to Indonesian public and programs films for the Q! Film Festival in Jakarta.
Iwan Setiawan & Muhammad Ichsan
Iwan is a television news journalist still working for a major TV network in Indonesia. His real passion is documentary film and has been making short documentaries in his spare time. ‘Illegal Logging’ is one of his documentaries that has won the 2004 Indonesian Film Festival award. Muhammad Ichsan graduated from Trisakti University, majoring in Visual Art and has been working in film as an art director as well as assistant director since 2002.
Ani Ema Susanti
Before obtaining her degree in psychology, Ani had worked in Hong Kong as migrant worker for two years to save money for her college education. She’s familiar with women migrant worker’s issues and finds that documentary film is the best medium to express herself. Her first short documentary ‘Hong Kong Helper Goes to Campus’ was chosen as a finalist in a local documentary competition in 2007.
