Laskar Pelangi
Laskar Pelangi | |
---|---|
The Rainbow Troops by Andrea Hirata | |
Produced by | Mira Lesmana |
Starring | Cut Mini Ikranagara Tora Sudiro Slamet Rahardjo Teuku Rifnu Wikana |
Cinematography | Yadi Sugandi |
Music by | Sri Aksan Sjuman Titi Handayani Sjuman |
Distributed by | Miles Films Mizan Production |
Release date | September 25, 2008 |
Running time | 124 minutes |
Country | Indonesia |
Languages | Indonesian Malay |
Budget | ID Rp. 8 billion (US$ 890,000; ~ US$ 1,000,000 in 2017 accounting for inflation) |
Box office | $16.67 million |
Laskar Pelangi (English: The Rainbow Troops) is a 2008 Indonesian drama film adapted from the novel of the same name by Andrea Hirata. The film follows a group of 10 students and their two inspirational teachers as they struggle with poverty and develop hopes for the future in Gantong Village, located at Belitung. The film became a box office and critical success, becoming one of the highest grossing in Indonesian box office history[1] receiving a number of local and international awards.
Plot
In 1974,
Mahmud, a teacher at SD PN Timah, has unrequited love for Muslimah and frequently asks her to join his school while belittling hers; Muslimah always rejects. During the after-exam holiday, the boys meet Flo, an SD PN student who gives Mahar one of her National Geographic collections featuring the Asmat people. Mahar, skillful in art, is assigned by Muslimah to form an idea for the Independence Day carnival competition, and he proposes an Asmat-style dance; they won first place. Flo decides to join Muhammadiyah, but she distract the students from grades. Meanwhile, Bakri reveals that he accepted an offer to teach at Bangka State School.
Unwilling to care for his health, Harfan dies. Grieving, Muslimah does not teach for five days, unannounced. The students continue learning by themselves and keep pushing each other to study, warming Muslimah's heart and bringing her back to teaching. Some time later, a Gantong scholastic tournament is announced; Mahar, Ikal, and Lintang participate. They win, but on that day too, Lintang's father dies. Obligated to take care of his two siblings, he reluctantly announces his leave to friends and teachers.
Belitung, heavily reliant on their tin industry, was severely affected by the 1980 tin crisis and PN Timah went bankrupt. Ikal visits his home in 1999 and meets Lintang, who now has a wife and daughter. Ikal reveals that he received a scholarship at Sorbonne in Paris, which is his dream city as caused by former love interest A Ling, who is A Kiong's cousin. Meanwhile, Mahar is a novelist. The film ends with a quote from Article 31 of the Constitution of Indonesia: "Every citizen has the right to get proper education."
Background and impact
The film reportedly cost 8 billion rupiah (US$890,000; ~ US$1,000,000 in 2017 accounting for inflation) to make and was a year in production. Most of the child actors in the film are from Belitung, and Producer Mira Lesmana explained that choice by saying: "In my opinion, there won't be any actors with a deeper connection to the roles than those who were born and lived in Belitong their entire life."[2]
The
The film's local and international success fueled a tourism boom on Belitung, with Indonesian airline
A Belitung-based local newspaper Pos Belitung refers the movie title on its motto, "Spirit Baru Negeri Laskar Pelangi" (New Spirit of the Land of Rainbow Troops).
Awards
- Best Film, Bandung Film Festival, 2009
- Best Film, Indonesian Film Festival, 2009
- Nomination for Best Film and Best Editor, Asian Film Awards, 2009
- SIGNIS Award, Hong Kong International Film Festival, 2009
- Golden Butterfly Award, 23rd International Festival of Film for Children and Young Adults, Iran, 2009
- 3rd Place Audience Award, 11th Udine Far East International Film Festival, Italy, 2009 [5]
See also
References
- ^ Local Movie to Open Jakarta Film Festival Archived 2009-06-28 at the Wayback Machine The Jakarta Globe, Lisa Siregar, June 22, 2009
- ^ Laskar Pelangi: The Audacity of Hope The Jakarta Post, Iwan Seti, September 7, 2008
- ^ Lokasi Pengambilan Gambar Laskar Pelangi Dilestarikan Republika newspaper, June 25, 2010
- ^ Melihat Bumi Laskar Pelangi Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine Kompas Newspaper, June 8, 2009
- ^ Andrea Hirata Official website
External links
- Laskar Pelangi at IMDb