3 DOA, 3 CINTA/3 PRAYERS, 3 LOVES

Indonesia, 2008, 105 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Nurman Hakim.

This film won awards in Indonesia in 2009. It is an interesting look at three young men at a Muslim school in a village away from Jakarta.

The master of the school is very earnest, giving classes with the young men taking notes, leading prayer, but advocating tolerance for Jews and Christians who respect Islam, giving respect to them. Nearby is a different school where the master encourages intolerance towards other religions as well as urging his students to become martyrs.

The plot focuses on three of the young men, their friendship, classes, the meagre rooms for their accommodation, joking together, smoking together, one looking through a peephole at a neighbouring girl, interested in continuing his father’s work as a wedding photographer, fascinated by films shown at travelling fair, another very earnest, a disciple of the master who wants him to marry into the family and succeed him, getting the help of a visiting singer and dancer to track down his mother in Jakarta, the third very earnest young man, persuaded to be a martyr, concerned about his dying father and the foreigner who is buying up the land.

There are intimations of sexuality and suggestion of homosexuality but these themes are not followed through.
The film draws the characters very well, their interactions, the flavour of life at the end of the 20th century in the village, strict Muslim traditions, the less strict behaviour of the locals, especially with the band, the singer and her dress, and her ambition to be a model or a soap opera star.

Then comes 9/11 and the authorities confiscate the young man’s video camera which has been used by the zealot to film his choice of being a prophet, by the young woman for her audition video and the master puzzling about how to use it. They are imprisoned. However, there is a postscript three years later with what has happened to each of the young men.

1. A contemporary Indonesian story? Regional town, Muslim school, visiting film and circus show? Glimpses of Jakarta?

2. The setting in 2000? Pre-9/11? Muslim schools, those preaching harmony and tolerance? Those preaching hate and martyrdom?

3. The setting of the school, the rooms for teaching, for prayer? The accommodation, shared? The wall on which the boys wrote? The peephole and looking through it? Near the cemetery?

4. The head of the school, his teaching, interpreting the Koran, attitudes towards Jews and Christians, tolerance and respect? The impact on the students? The contrast with the other teacher, his preaching against tolerance, praising martyrdom? The head of the school and his treatment of the students, his wife and family, wanting to keep one boy and marry him into the family and be his successor? His discipline, the boy carrying the water buckets? The intimations of homosexuality? Confiscating the video camera and his puzzle about it?

5. The portrait of the three boys:

Rian, age, attitudes, cheeky, with the other boys, friendly? Looking through the peephole, leaving the message? His concern about his mother, her visit and a plan to marry again, his resentment? His father’s business, wanting to be a wedding photographer? Going to the fair, watching the films, looking at the projector, the projectionist, friendship, teaching him, the offer of the job?

Hudi, a model student, his concern about his mother, leaving him at the school, never visiting? The teacher and his admiration for him? His relationship with the other boys? Going to the fair, watching the dancer? At the cemetery, meeting the girl, discussions, giving her the address and the money, her getting the information, more money, the new address? His decision to go to Jakarta, tracking down the address, the discovery that his mother was dead, the woman at the centre, her explanation that his mother was ashamed but always proud of him and wanting him to grow up to be a good man? His return, becoming part of the group again?

The intense Muslim boy, listening to the interpretation of the Koran, going to the stricter school, his interpretation of rules, his wanting to be a martyr? His father in hospital, the cost of the treatment, the outsider wanting to buy the land, the offer of the money, his making the video about being a martyr, discovering that the man was paying for his father’s health treatment, going to the teacher and saying that he did not want to be a martyr until later? His father’s death?

6. The girl, her ambitions, the modern singing and dancing, the crowds, sexy? In relationship to Muslim traditions? Visit to the cemetery, her helping the young man? Her wanting to be a model, a soap opera star, taking the video clips?

7. 9/11, the authorities with the camera, seeing the young men, the teacher, their arrest, the interrogations?

8. 2004, the young man now teaching in the School, Rian and his work with film, the earnest man and his intentions, the girl returning to the town with her media success?

9. A glimpse of life in Indonesia?