People commonly associate dalang (puppeteer) to an old man. However, in Marganing Gesang (2022), we follow the life of a dalang which is unlike what people think. This documentary film, directed by Catur Panggih Raharjo (2022), follows a teenage dalang named Ki Waluyo during his days preparing Festival Dalang Anak dan Remaja.
With the sound of gamelan along with slendro and pelog melodies on the background, the filmmaker invites us to see the daily life of Ki Waluyo; starting from hunting for banana tree to cut the stem to decorate the puppet show stage to rehearsing with perhimpunan musik karawitan (karawitan music group). The filmmaker also mentions the effect of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic to the world of Wayang (puppet show). The public activity restrictions (PPKM), implemented by the government to reduce the transmission rate, affects the demand for performance, which is decreasing. This leads him to question the government’s appreciation for the artists who work in preserving wayang. This also means dalang is one of the affected sectors. The situation does not get any better as the government gives very little solution and more restrictions. The lack of protection and allowance from the government eventually forces Ki Waluyo to find another job to survive.
This obstruction urges the need to innovate and adapt to this changing situation. One of the attempts is to utilize online media as an alternative to bypass the public activity restrictions (PPKM). This transition creates an impression which correlates with the ease of accessing the show while we are still living in pandemic. Through Marganing Gesang (2022), the movie shows the reality of the struggles to survive in the world of the beloved Javenese shadow puppet show: wayang. Marganing Gesang (2022) can be your choice in Festival Film Dokumenter 2022!
Written by Davina Tri Damayanti
Edited by Vanis
Film Details:
Silence in the Shadow (Marganing Gesang)
Catur Panggih Raharjo | 28 min | Indonesia | Color | 2022 | PG
Kompetisi Dokumenter Pendek
Showtime:
15 November 2022 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 15.00
16 November 2022 | Bioskop Sonobudoyo | 19.00
