Gowok: Kamasutra Jawa is not merely a cultural film-it is a Western fantasy wrapped in Javanese cloth, borrowing the name of tradition to sell sensation.
I entered the theater hoping to find a work faithful to the roots of Javanese history and customs. What I found was a film visually captivating and praised by the media for its boldness, yet weak at its narrative core. Brilliant cinematography, strong acting, and stunning production design-none of these could conceal its betrayal of cultural authenticity.
The film chooses to depict premarital love through a series of kissing scenes, intimate sitting together, and even sexual intercourse before marriage, as if these were common practices in mid-20th century Javanese society. The reality was far different. At that time, meetings between men and women before marriage were strictly governed by unggah-ungguh (etiquette), taboos, and family customs. Relationships developed slowly through formal channels, not through sly seduction or instant Netflix-style romance.
It is true that the gowok tradition once existed-but here, it is reimagined merely as a backdrop for visual foreplay, rather than as a window into its social context. Traditional costumes and authentic sets are nothing more than "thick makeup" masking the true face of the story.
This critique is not about forbidding creativity. Art has the right to be free, but when portraying cultural heritage, responsibility toward historical truth is part of its integrity. Gowok: Kamasutra Jawa may succeed as commercial entertainment, but it fails as a work meant to safeguard the dignity and authenticity of Javanese culture. It stands as proof that visual beauty can be the subtlest weapon for disguising historical distortion.
