Stand van de zon

With this film about an Indonesian family around the turn of the millennium, Leonard Retel Helmrich gained international recognition as an innovative documentary filmmaker. Over decade that followed, he regularly returned to the Sjamsuddin family to keep his finger on the pulse of modern Indonesia through their experiences.

In 1998, the country was gripped by an economic crisis; protests against the authoritarian regime ultimately led to the resignation of President Suharto. Rumidjah, a Christian living in Jakarta, struggles with her adult children to make ends meet, while the idleness of her youngest son, Bakti, adds to their worries.

The roaming camera captures the bickering in their cramped family home, public life in the narrow streets of their neighborhood, or in Rumidjah’s birthplace in Central Java. We also see religious gatherings in churches and mosques, fiery protests, and the voting during the 1999 elections. The filmmaker has an eye for striking details, unusual camera angles, atmospheric lighting, and telling scenes, immersing the viewer in a specific time and place.