The scene opens with the roar of car engines, contrasting the lack of sound coming from Mufi as she’s practicing sign language. No dialogues nor conversation, just lulls of the wind and traffic. Then, silence breaks into sound as noise enters the music studio along with people as they prepare for the showcase of a music artist, Pamungkas. Mufi, working as a sign language interpreter, enthusiastically rehearses the melody with the help of Ephi, Pamungkas, and the team. On the day of the showcase, Mufi is seen humming along to the tune of the music and singing in her own language–inviting the deaf community to sing along.
A Sonorous Melody (Riani Singgih, 2022) follows the daily life of Mufi who, aside from being active on the music scene, is also active as a facilitator for the deaf community. She talks about her life with a charming delight and fiery passion that the viewers could feel just from her gestures. She talks about her way of communicating at home, the personalized bell her father had made for her, and being the top of her physics class in junior high. She even recounted a negative memory from high school, and how it made her feel inferior since she wasn’t able to verbally communicate properly. She is now in a different stage of her life where she is able to look back to that moment and think, speaking properly doesn’t guarantee anything, anyways.
Her love for music isn’t limited to just being an interpreter on stage. Mufi also made a song entitled Power, along with the music video for it that she performed in sign language with her friend. The song is a love letter to her deaf community, applauding their exceptional strength and bravery. Mufi is thrilled to open rooms for collaboration to tune along to music together, since she believes that music is a bridge to equality.
A Sonorous Melody (2022) exposed a rare worldview through Mufi’s lens. It presents a new light towards the deaf community, with their own unimaginable talents. Music provides a space for everyone to collaborate and respect one another. And through Mufi, we know that music has the ability to give voice to things that are unheard.
A Sonorous Melody (2022) is selected in Short Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (Ahmad Radhitya Alam) (Vanis/Adinta)
Film Details
A Sonorous Melody (Senandung Senyap)
Riani Singgih | 24 Minutes | 2022 | DKI Jakarta | Color | 13+
Screening Schedule
12.04 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 19.00 WIB
12.08 | Gedung ex Bioskop Permata | 20.00 WIB
