Pasir Berbisik

I feel compelled to write a review, my first one in any shape or form, after having watched this surprising movie. Surprising, in a sense that I was looking for something with a bit more of a polish and satisfaction from an Indonesian (my country of origin) movie. After purchasing VCDs of `Bintang jatuh', `Jelangkung', `Ada apa dengan cinta' and being disappointed to mildly entertained, I was glad to have left this little gem till last. First off, I am film buff and an avid DVD collector. I need to watch movies, undisturbed, on a big widescreen TV, with full surround sound using the best video quality presentation available (with all my purchases, I scour the internet for which country and which edition offers the best possible quality). This movie came on a bog standard VCD where the end of the first disc showed far too many technical flaws and glitches. However, that has not ruined my enjoyment of the film. and that speaks volumes.

There wasn't a part where I stopped caring for the characters or wondered about the life they lead. The viewer is not fed everything (thank GOD). Dialogue is kept almost to a minimum. The movie communicates much of the characters' intentions through the physical acting, which was done convincingly. The interpretation is left to the audience, but motivations are fairly easy to read. The story is simple, but the movie takes its time and tells it wonderfully. The long but beautiful shots of the barren landscapes are never out of place, giving the viewer time to think about and absorb what happened previously. Pacing is good, except for the slightly long opening title scenes. The move did seem a little slow at first, but I just had to get used to pace.

Dian Sastro delivers a quite mature performance (when compared to her other movies). Still, I find it a little controversial for her to have gained a best actress award. She ranged from irritating at times to convincing, but thankfully, more of the latter. She handled the transition from her innocence at the start to her realisations of the real world and her needs towards the latter parts quite well and delivers some moving performances. I couldn't fault the other performers, and their interactions with eachother and this where the movie truly works well. There is not just ONE actor or actress who would carry the movie and the casting was superbly done. Christine Hakim as Daya's weary, possessive yet caring mother. Slamet Rahardjo as the tragic father. her teacher, her friend, her aunt, the `helper'. they all play their parts well, and their characters are interesting, but together, the chemistry works! Even if giving the admittedly attractive Sastro the role seemed a little out of place at first, that aspect of hers does become important for her shocking, yet slightly predictable circumstance towards the end.

My experience with Indonesian movies only extends as far as the ones mentioned above, and they would naturally set the benchmark for Pasir Berbisik. I would say though, that this movie holds up well against movies from more `movie mature' countries. Stories of tragedy and hardship (e.g. Grave of the Fireflies) are powerful in that they always seem to trigger a stronger emotional response from the audience, and the feeling lingers on as the credits roll. Pasir Berbisik is no exception. For me, it was compelling, moving and shocking in parts. The movie seemed to have been set in a different period, but objects from everyday Indonesian live turned up here and there, taking me back to the dreadful truth.

In terms of technical achievement, it overshadows the previous movies (The many quiet moments also let me enjoy some of the beautiful cinematography). Quite possibly, the collaboration with NHK was a big factor, but it is something I welcomed and look forward to in future movies. Music also lets down so many movies. Thankfully, Thoersi Argeswara's compositions are subtle and low key, but moving and suitable enough to lends the movie immersive ness. I would like to go on about this, but I think I've taken up too much space already.

This is a wonderful achievement by the director, crew and artists. For me it was, to put it simply, totally satisfying. I eagerly await a comprehensive DVD release, which this film so richly deserves (maybe one will come out in Japan?). On a final note, I don't agree with IMDB's recommendation for `Ada apa dengan cinta?'. Other than having the same actress and coming from the same country and maybe some subtle similarities in that parts focus on family sociology (if you stretch your imagination), they are miles apart in terms of quality (IMHO).

Pasir berbisik (2001), shown here as "Whispering Sands," is a tragedy set in a landscape as alien to most of us as the moon. Impoverished Indonesians attempt to survive-- and to maintain a social framework--under harsh desert conditions. The bonds of friendship and family, and the demands of loyalty and honesty, are sometimes difficult to sustain even in the U.S.

When there is little food, little water, and little evidence of legal authority, these bonds and demands tend to suffer, as do the people who live under these circumstances.

The director has managed to portray this situation in a manner understandable to moviegoers (like myself), who didn't even realize that there *were* deserts in Indonesia.

Surely, people like me missed many of the more subtle references and nuances. Still, despite social and language barriers, this movie communicated a great deal to me.

I highly recommend it.

Whenever I see an Indonesian film, I've always tried to spot for mistakes made by the filmmakers, but this one has definitely set a new standard.

Dian Sastrowardoyo (who plays Daya) casts against type in the film. Most people recognize her as a glamorous, charming young teenager, but in whispering sands, she plays a childish girl who always has her face covered in dirt. Christine Hakim plays Daya's mother who always keep track of her, because she doesn't want Daya to turn out to be missing like her Father. (Daya narrated in the beginning of the film, showing that her mother will always know wherever she is in the count of three).

Later on in the story, they're forced to move to the east because their place is burned down by the rebels. Daya's Father returns (which always cause a happy transition when a family is reunited) but ruins Daya's image of her father by selling her body to a villager (Didi Petet) for a pack of

cigarette. (Notice the scene where Daya's father keeps looking at her daughter from a mirror, symbolizing his denial of compassion for her daughter -- compare that to her mother's sense of awareness with Daya's three seconds formula.

Nan Achnas, the director and co-writer doesn't really point out whether the movie talks about feminism or mother-daughter relationship or both, but it tells us to just sit back and witness the metaphor he created between the irony of life in the eye of an innocent girl and her presence in the world as a woman. At first, she really admires her aunt's work as a dancer who pleases men, but later on she feels the horror when her body is used as an accessory for men's pleasure.

Whispering sands is one of those film that grabs your attention and force you to wonder of its meaning while and after you get out of your seat after you've seen it. The image plays like poetry; the environment (especially the sands) and tribal musics are combined to create meanings and to enhance the mood on each scene. It is beautifully crafted unlike other Indonesian films influenced by American style of filmmaking.

Many Indonesian whom already seen it doesn't quite fancy this masterpiece. But this is what film is all about, because the first rule of filmmaking is to show it, not to say it (I mean c'mon, if Picasso's paintings were to have explanation on the bottom of the canvas, what would be the art of that?)

Ray Carney, a film critic once said that Great art makes things hard on us. It makes trouble for us, because it denies us our easy, familiar categories. That's what I want to point out to Indonesian filmgoers who care for films to grow in our country.

This is definitely a woman film. Written, directed, co-produced and starred mostly by women, Pasir Berbisik is one of the most talked about (Indonesian) film of the year 2001. The reviews in Indonesian media so far is quite mixed. While the conservative "Kompas" tends to praise the film, you can hear the contrary from the much younger and hiper "A-plus" magazine. And the viewers comment? Well, I am a film buff and I love this film for it's poetic way of story telling and dream like images. But to my sinetron-watcher friend the film is just confusing; not enough dialogs, too many symbols, and so on. The film itself tells a story of Daya (Indonesia's sweetheart: Dian sastro), a young girl living in the shadow of her over protective mother Berlian (Christine Hakim), until hell (quietly) break loose when her long lost father (Slamet Rahardjo) returns from nowhere.

One of those art house films that can accentuate to a various potential, Pasir Berbisik have those potential indeed, and if you have seen it then you'll know what i mean, a story line that develops as the film rolls, as new characters are introduced, a main character with so much things ahead for her, Damn how about a sequel for this "epic"?..."The adventure of Daya in the big city " or "Daya; lost in Jakarta" ok enough with it, this is a film that probably captivates if you watch it once, but after that start to sink you in a turmoil of depression, maybe because the underlying theme reflects the fact that people like "them" really exist in Indonesia, The small citadels of desolated villages having to move around, and trying to make a living in the most constipated way.

I myself in a way can relate to the characters of the film (being a Chinese Indonesian, we are usually refered as the people without genuine motherland) having no particular sanctuary ground, forced by circumstances to abandon their huts finding another abandoned places, reluctantly for a mere shelter. Putting food on the plate by selling hand grinned herbs, this is the potrait of the lower class in indonesia, exist now and then (the film itself is set in the post Japanese invasion era). Naturally they wouldnt be called the lower class until they urbanize to the big cities, and they usually did so, currently Indonesia is occupied by a rough figure of 80% poverty stricken people/families.

putting, poverty and hardship aside, undelying themes in this film includes, mother and daughter relationship, Paedophilism, whilst putting exotic cultural elements in between. Director Nan Achnas no doubt worth to be called one of the most creative film maker to emerge from Indo-cinema in the past years, along with Mira Lesmana , Riri Rizal she is goes belongs to the category of what i usually called "Reformation era Artists" , for they are young and emerging in their own courageous style after the end of the Soeharto Regime.Her visuals are haunting and symbolistic, the scenes are set in a short episodical way, every incident holds its own poetical dillemas, like a Ballad of traditional story telling, in the same way of Garin Noegroho plays the structure his films *(Balada Pantun)*

Being a Joint venture of Japanese'S NHK studio collab, Pasir Berbisik flaunts a lush photography, usually a rarity in Indonesian films (good film stocks dont come cheap), real location settings in Brohmo mountains (if im not mistaken)also adds realism and memorable panoramas, even in VCD this film looks satisfyingly glossy.

a Brilliant cast for a big production art house like this is a must, so here we go with the players; Christine Hakim, one of the most powerful actress in Indonesian Film industri delivers as usual, she have embodied that strong woman panache' since her award winning performance in Tjoet Nya Dhien(1988), Didi Petet as Suwito the trader with hidden intentions, coming from theatrical background, he manages to break his stereotype clowny affeminate role he always engange back in the old days.

Slamet Rahardjo one of Indonesia's leading Characters actor steals his own scenes, playing an irresponsible dodgy father, watch him in a show stealing wacky scene where he shows his junk-salesman skills.

Newcomer "Model-turn-actress" Dian Sastrowardoyo,plays the free spirited-yet-caged curious Daya, although her acting is still a bit on the stiff side, she manages to pour out some emotion into her complex screen character, alas uneven, but who cares? she is a real beauty and i'm not that old to ignore that fact ..really.

Conclusion; a good film that is not too friendly with the usual majority audiences, yet if you're a person who dwells in traditional ballad, laconic story telling then this may be your ham and cheese.

3.2 outta 5 stars.