“I want to be a sea turtle, carrying my
home wherever I go.”
Uplifting and visceral, The Mirror Never Lies has proven Kamila
Andini’s artistry in moulding her directorial debut.
Sets in
Wakatobi (Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia), The Mirror Never Lies brings the
story of a 12-year-old girl named Pakis (introducing Gita Novalista) who keeps
on believing that her long lost father is still alive. Pakis herself comes from
a Bajo tribe; an Indonesian ethnic group who lives above the sea on
stilts-houses and whose bread and butter comes from the ocean.
Along with the protagonist stands Lumo (Eko), an effervescent friend
of Pakis who demonstrates to live life the way it is—as a naïve child. Pakis’
mother, Tayung (starring the eminent Indonesian star, Atiqah Hasiholan), on the
other hand is adamant to believe that her husband has dead and decides to
continue with life. Yet, with the presence of a dolphin researcher later in
film, Tudo (award winning Reza Rahadian), she begins to disclose herself.
Hasiholan and Rahadian bestow souls upon their characters although
their performances aren’t exceptional. Even though they’re the only professional
actors in the film, it doesn’t deter the fact that they are dimmed by the
chemistry between the pensive Pakis and cheeky Lumo.
"Who could not adore Lumo and his singing friend [when they attempt to court Pakis]? Such a funny and clever way to depict the emotional issues brewing or the adults as well as the children," says Shannon Keebaugh, one of the viewers.
"Who could not adore Lumo and his singing friend [when they attempt to court Pakis]? Such a funny and clever way to depict the emotional issues brewing or the adults as well as the children," says Shannon Keebaugh, one of the viewers.
Andini’s decision to use local amateur actors (Novalista and Eko) as
the protagonists which seemed precarious onset proves to be the best approach for
the film at the end of the day.
Adding more to the genuine characters are the striking shots. Andini succeeds to cover the eye-pampering scenic of
Indonesian ocean. Several scenes which appear to be immaterial to the plot—such
as the long-lasting part where Lumo plays with his pet bird—highlight the social
lives of the Bajonese and become essential to form the entire film.
"In Indonesia, because we are an archipelago country, the sea is also our connector -- not our separator. I wanted to develop that. I wanted to develop a harmony between human relations," says Andini in an interview with FilmInk.
However, the slow-paced plot has a potential to doze off the audience.
While MIFF recommends viewers of this film to be age 12+, the enigmatic
substance of the film is unfathomable for teen viewers. Andini toys with the
Bajo cultural element that generates several metaphors in the film. For
instance, Tayung’s white mask conveys more than a mere make-up: it rather conveys
Tayung’s sorrow of her husband’s death and guilt over her incapability as a
mother to Pakis. This aspect then remains concealed until the end.
Still, The Mirror Never Lies worth the attention. The film’s atmosphere
really portrays placidity, which is a rare dish among most-sought blockbuster
films. Kamila Andini is definitely a new director to keep an eye out for.
