TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian film about poet Wiji Thukul entitled "Istirahatlah Kata-Kata" was screened for the first time in Switzerland on Tuesday, August 9, 2016, at 11:00 AM local time. The film takes part in the Cineasti del Presente competition at the Locarno International Film Festival. The film, which was directed by Yosep Anggi Noen, received overwhelming response from around 500 audiences.
"Istirahatlah Kata-Kata" is a movie about Wiji Thukul's plight after the July 27, 1996 incident. Wiji had been hiding in several cities ever since before he was being declared missing in 1998.
Yosep co-produced the film with producer Yulia Evina Bhara. They came to Switzerland with the film's actress Marissa Anita and Film Negara’s production director Abdul Aziz.
"We fully support the film's public screening in Indonesia," Abduh Aziz said. According to Azis, the screening of "Istirahatlah Kata-Kata" at the Locrano International Film Festival indicated that Indonesia has numerous human-interest stories that can be explored by filmmakers. “The film must be screened in Indonesian theatres,” Abduh said.
Yosep said that Wiji Thukul is one of the heroes of democracy who made filmmaking in Indonesia possible. Without freedom and democracy won by Wiji and other activists back in 1998, Yosep said that he would not have been able to screen the film to the audience.
"In the film, I gave room for Wiji Thukul's poems to be heard again," said the Yogyakarta-based director.
REZKI ALVIONITASARI