How is it that the rights of every human are not always equal to each other? The Kanjuruhan tragedy has yet to find its resolution, but the renovation of Kanjuruhan Stadium has slowly begun, seemingly attempting to erase the traces altogether.
In silence, The Whistle Starts Whispering (Yusuf Jacka, 2023) freezes the poignant condition after the stampede tragedy in Kanjuruhan Stadium on the 1st of October, 2022. Silence in the beginning of the sentence signifies the director’s decision to let fragments of videos tell the story that speaks to viewers’ hearts through the absence of dialogue. Those fragments of videos seem to be voicing the sound of tears and wails of victims, as it became a heart-wrenching ballad, highlighting the tragedy’s profound impact on the casualties’ lives.
Through The Whistle Starts Whispering (2023), viewers are invited to see expressions of loss adorning the walls of Kanjuruhan Stadium. Expressions such as “my friend has gone”, “hati yang luka” (wounded hearts), “usut tuntas” (investigate till’ the end), and “gas air mata vs. air mata ibu” (Tear gas vs. a mother’s tears), are not mere words, but they are cries of justice echoing eternally through the silent hallways of Kanjuruhan.
In a deeper look, this documentary also reflects the irony of humanity when fellow human beings who should have been united regardless of position or status underwent unfair treatment from those who were put to protect them. The police force was present as an element that took part in this tragedy.
The title The Whistle Starts Whispering symbolizes a call to pause, reflect on the injustice that has occurred, and reconsider the lives viewed as games by others. Not only documenting a real tragedy, The Whistle Starts Whispering (2023) presents a stream of emotions that evokes sympathy and a call to action for change. It provides a space for the viewers to think, feel, and, perhaps, take action.
The Whistle Starts Whispering (2023) is selected in Short Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (Tirza Kanya) (Vanis/Catharina Maida)
Film Details
The Whistle Starts Whispering (Peluit Panjang)
Yusuf Jacka | 9 Minutes | 2023 | East Java | Color | 13+
Screening Schedule
12.05 | Bioskop Sonobudoyo | 19.00 WIB
12.09 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 15.00 WIB
