Kamila Andini further proves herself of Indonesian cinema’s most vital voices with her third solo feature Yuni. Partly inspired by Sapardi Djoko Damono’s love poem “Rain in June,” the movie paints a candid portrait of what it’s like for a teenage girl in Indonesia, where expectations and dated traditional values often prevent one from fully having the freedom to pursue their dreams.
Yuni (Arawinda Kirana) is a 16-year-old girl obsessed with anything purple—ironically the color purple is largely known in Indonesia as the color of mourning widows. She’s about to finish high school but, like most of her peers, hasn’t quite figured out what to do with her future. When a teacher (Impetigore’s Marissa Anita) encourages Yuni to apply for a college scholarship, her world suddenly gets bigger. The possibility of continuing school and eventually raising her family’s social status excites her.
Yuni (Arawinda Kirana) is a 16-year-old girl obsessed with anything purple—ironically the color purple is largely known in Indonesia as the color of mourning widows. She’s about to finish high school but, like most of her peers, hasn’t quite figured out what to do with her future. When a teacher (Impetigore’s Marissa Anita) encourages Yuni to apply for a college scholarship, her world suddenly gets bigger. The possibility of continuing school and eventually raising her family’s social status excites her.
- 9/18/2021
- by Reyzando Nawara
- The Film Stage
Firm messages about female liberty and self-determination are delivered with a gentle touch in “Yuni,” a compassionate and engaging coming-of-age tale about a 16-year-old schoolgirl who doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do with her life but does know that she’s not ready to follow tradition and become a teenage bride. The third feature directed solo by Kamila Andini (“The Seen and Unseen”) tackles topics that need to be discussed and further enhances her standing as a vital and intelligent voice in contemporary Indonesian cinema. “Yuni” is sure to travel widely at festivals and has what it takes to become a domestic commercial success that entertains audiences and gets them talking about the pertinent issues it raises.
. The screenplay by Andini and Prima Rusdi doesn’t shy away from anything, but at the same time it never has to stand on a soapbox to get its progressive and persuasive messages across.
. The screenplay by Andini and Prima Rusdi doesn’t shy away from anything, but at the same time it never has to stand on a soapbox to get its progressive and persuasive messages across.
- 9/14/2021
- by Richard Kuipers
- Variety Film + TV
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