JAKARTA - The film Pengalin Cahaya by director Wregas Bhanuteja raises the issue of sexual violence. According to him, this issue is an emergency and it is important to voice it through the medium of film. Wregas said that cases of sexual violence are often underestimated by the public. In fact, the victims or survivors are often stigmatized and do not receive support.
For Wregas, this situation is very urgent and needs to be voiced. Film is also an appropriate and efficient medium to raise awareness.
"This case often brings painful things to survivors such as mental health, trauma, depression, it a lot arises because he is not trusted. Once he tells the story, he does not get support, he is sanctioned in doubt, as if what he experienced was made up and part of reasonable," Wregas said at a press conference on Thursday, September 2.
"Now it's a sexual violence emergency where many survivors are putting out their stories because the environment doesn't support it. So I think this film should be present to raise awareness of the importance of voicing about sexual violence," continued Wregas.
In the process of making the story, Wregas conducted research from various news stories about sexual violence and the stories of the people around him. He was also inspired by the story of Baiq Nuril who was actually sued for reporting a case of sexual violence that happened to him.
All these stories are then summarized and become the core problem of the character Sur, played by Shenina Cinnamon. "We summarize and select these stories, we sharpen them to form the basis of what Sur experienced. The strongest of course is Sur who is against a system that does not support survivors to reveal the truth," said Wregas.
"The Light Copy" itself is included in New Currents' main competition program at the 2021 Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) and will conduct a World Premiere at one of the largest film festivals in Asia.
For Wregas, the existence of the Busan film festival was the venue for the premiere of "The Light Copy". Thus, the issue of sexual violence can be easily spread to the world community.
"I think the film festival is the loudspeaker of our communication. Busan is the largest film festival in Asia where films from all over the world are presented, meaning that our films are not only seen by Indonesians," said Wregas.
"Finally, it is important for our film to be voiced, this issue is not only in Indonesia but the world. The Busan International Film Festival is one of the targets to echo that voice," he added.
"The Copy of Light" tells the story of Sur who had to lose his scholarship because he was considered to be defaming the faculty after his drunk selfie was circulated.
Sur doesn't remember anything that happened to him that night. This is Sur's first time attending his college theater community victory party, and finds himself unconscious.
Sur enlists the help of Amin, his childhood friend, a photocopier who lives and works on campus, to find out what really happened to him on the night of the party. The film stars Shenina Cinnamon, Chicco Kurniawan, Lutesha, Jerome Kurnia, Dea Panenda and Giulio Parengkuan.
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