Searching, letting go, and persevering are the three-act narratives told in The Book of Life and Three Stories about Women and the Unseen in the Midst of the Pandemic (Ismail Basbeth, 2023). Intimate engagement with the personal stories of everyday life are captured keenly to highlight and explore events that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The film begins with the story of a son’s return to attend his mother’s funeral. Basbeth, who also handled the camera, captures this moment without pause. Like playing a game, the audience is posed as the main character witnessing everything. We are invited to approach the everyday events and delve into it. The story reveals how everything happens as we witness everyone around react and deal with grief.
The second story depicts a woman wandering alone in the city of Ambon in search of her sister. This part is presented with black and white visuals that add to the impression of gloom and loss. Similarly, the experience of looking into the past and the ambiguity of the search become the starting point for this story. In the noisy Port of Ambon, silence is spun slowly by the confusion of the protagonist.
Moving away from the black-and-white visual, the third story is painted with colourful and vibrant cinematography as well as atmospheric background music. Telling the story of an almost 100-year-old Quran teacher, Basbeth deftly captures a phenomenon that might otherwise be forgotten. The story of the teacher’s past experiences learning to read and write at a school Pemberantasan Buta Huruf (Eradication of Illiteracy), a program of the Indonesian government in 1951, from a teacher who was also a pastor.
This anthology offers a perspective on how we feel and how we respond when we deal with our families. Compiled in a different style, presentation, and manner, The Book of Life and Three Stories about Women and the Unseen in the Midst of the Pandemic (2023), will take us through everyday stories about and from family.
The Book of Life and Three Stories about Women and the Unseen in the Midst of the Pandemic (2023) is selected in Lanskap: Grotesque Cinema Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (bonivasios dwi) (Vanis)
Film Details
The Book of Life and Three Stories about Women and the Unseen in the Midst of the Pandemic (Kitab Hidup dan Tiga Cerita tentang Perempuan dan yang Tak Kasat Mata di Tengah Pandemi)
Ismail Basbeth | 88 Min | 2023 | DI Yogyakarta | Color & BW | 13+
Screening Schedule
12.09 | Gedung ex Bioskop Permata | 13.00 WIB
