Film is one of the key topics highlighted in media studies research. On the first day of the Association of Asian Studies (AAS) in Asia 2024 event, held at Universitas
Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta, presentation panels and roundtables discussing film as a research topic were consistently crowded with participants. Notable sessions included the presentation panel Contemporary Screen Cultures and Practices in Southeast Asia, Un/Bounding Women Documentary Filmmaking in Contemporary Asia, and the roundtable Female Film Directors and Screenwriters in Global East Asia. The latter session, due to the high enthusiasm of the participants, extended beyo
nd its scheduled time. Discussions focused on how female film directors and screenwriters from Hong Kong use their films to represent their subjectivities and engage in self-realization and reflection as women.
Another compelling session was the screening of the ethnographic film “The Sacrifice,” directed by Robert Lemelson from the University of California, Los Angeles. The film narrates the life story of Ketut Sudirta, a person with mental illness who often loses consciousness and commits acts of violence. By portraying Ketut’s daily life until his death, the film highlights how society has systematically failed to address the issue of mental illness, which is closely related to structural poverty. The film depicts Ketut as a mentally health-literate individual who regularly seeks treatment and hospitalization. However, poverty renders his life outside the mental hospital empty and lonely. The audience’s sobs accompanied the applause at the end of the film, expressing deep appreciation for the ethnographic process and the film’s impactful storytelling.
Before “The Sacrifice” (2024), Robert Lemelson directed several feature-length and short ethnographic documentaries, including “40 Years of Silence” (2009), “Memory of My Face” (2011), “Ngaben” (2012), and “Tajen” (2016). As an anthropologist from the University of California, Los Angeles, Lemelson has dedicated much of his academic journey to mental health issues. Watching “The Sacrifice” at AAS-in-Asia 2024 and engaging with Lemelson highlighted the potential of ethnographic research through documentary films. However, the film’s longitudinal study, spanning from 2008 to 2
023, contrasts with the current academic culture in Indonesia, which often discourages extended research periods. Thus, AAS-in-Indonesia 2024 is expected
to be a pivotal step toward fostering various collaborations and sustainable research opportunities in Indonesia (July 9, 2024).
Author: Asmi Nur Aisyah
Photos: Asmi Nur Aisyah