The Photograph

[Note: This film is not featured on Bluescreen and is not a designated educational title. However, it is apart of the 2009 Global Lens series and provides valuable insight into aspects of Indonesian culture. To read more about the film go to Global Film Initiative]

By Claire Lester,
Student Contributor

Nan Triveni Achnas’ fourth feature film The Photograph (2007) is set against a shady backdrop of semi-industrial Indonesia. Here we are introduced to Sita, a beautiful young woman who is constantly struggling to support her daughter Yani and her ailing grandmother who live in a nearby town. Having been away from them for two years, she makes a living as a singer and prostitute in a local brothel, but is frequently harassed by her pimp.

The essence of the film is found in the unlikely relationship that develops between the misguided Sita and Mr. Johan, an elderly portrait photographer. Having persuaded him to rent her a room, she begins to work for him around the house and help him in his search for an apprentice, as he only has several months left to live. Having lost his wife and son, he believes he is incapable of doing any good in his life. A grieving man, Mr. Johan is desperate to find his successor.

At first, Sita isn’t honest with herself. She lives in a world of empty promises and false hope. Absorbed by vanity, she takes a considerable amount of time preparing for her pictures, practicing poses, etc. She is concealing her true self. Mr. Johan, however, is a man ridden with secrets and guilt, hiding away from the people around him. He is preventing himself from wholly living and embracing his life. The lively Sita is his escape, his confidante; and in turn, Mr. Johan inspires her to be more accepting of herself and consequently more carefree.

With rich lingering shots, sometimes almost static, Nan Achnas’ film feels much like a photograph itself at points. These shots provide ample time for you to really reflect and mull over the lives of these characters, just as you would when looking at a photograph. Additionally as the film is largely character-driven, it allows you to easily empathize with these people and ask yourself how you would act if you were in their situation – what would you do if you were given only several months to live, or weren’t able to support your family?

Halfway through the film, there is an interview montage as Mr. Johan begins his search for his new apprentice. The inherent comedic relief of this scene separates it from the rest of the film which has a much more somber feel to it. The darker shots of the film seem to parallel, or at least echo, Mr. Johan’s illness; whereas this sequence illustrates a gentler and more approachable side to the characters’ daily lives.

Another remarkable aspect of the film is how it touches on the varying relationships people have with the past – how some cling onto it through something like a photograph; while there are others who are so consumed in wanting to move forward with their lives that they deny their own past. The Photograph depicts people discovering their own truths, and to a certain extent, encourages its audience to see themselves the way the characters learn to do – to see themselves objectively and truthfully.

Typically a documentary filmmaker, Nan Achnas brings a particular expository quality to The Photograph. This is not to say that the film delivers itself like a documentary, but simply that there is a certain documentary quality to be found within the film. It heavily invests itself in exploring Mr. Johan and Sita’s blossoming relationship, encouraging an observational approach from the viewer. Curiosity is what drives this film. Ultimately, it is this facet that helps the film convey its message. It reveals how even very different people can support one another and leave a lasting impression on each other’s lives, lessening their emotional burdens.