Hot Docs

Crucial viewing, this masterpiece is nothing short of breathtaking. Against a backdrop of rising Islamic fundamentalism and increasing globalization, three generations of an Indonesian family are torn between traditional rural values and urban pressure to prosper. After 12 years of filming, this is director Leonard Retel Helmrich’s third film about hard-working Christian grandmother Rumidjah and her family. Her non-observant Muslim son Bakti’s sole business aspiration centres on gambling and fighting fish. The family’s only hope of escaping grinding poverty rests on granddaughter Tari, but she cares more about acquiring the latest cell phone. Retel Helmrich’s revolutionary cinematography immerses us in the rich textures of their lives: long takes in continual motion glide so fluidly through moments saturated with meaning that the astonishing visuals seem organic. This IDFA/Sundance award-winner enriches the language of cinema with its sophisticated universal story of what it means to be human in the modern world. - Gisèle Gordon