Busan Review: A Copy of My Mind

Tara Basro as Sari and Chicco Jerikho as Alek in ‘A Copy of My Mind’ by Joko Anwar

Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar’s latest film, A Copy of My Mind hit the screens as part of the 20^th Busan International Film Festival in ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ section. The film has previously premiered in Venice.

The film revolves around the love story of a pirated DVDs subtitles maker and a female cheap salon worker amidst the chaotic presidential elections in Indonesia.

The filmmaker Joko Anwar introduces the characters to the audience in interesting ways, simultaneously defining their aspirations, desires and fears amidst their current financial situation and status quo. One scene that stands out in doing so is when Sari, the female lead, goes to a tech store and watches a 65-inch TV, convincing the seller that she is here to buy it for his big lounge when all, in fact, doubt her. The subsequent scene shows her watching the same old little TV in her room which is only lit by a dim light bulb.

The raw texture of the walls, the narrow lanes, chiaroscuro lighting and congested rooms immediately convey the mood to the audience. We are introduced to the small house of Alek, the subtitles maker, where he works on his films all night and falls asleep.

Anwar has a way of hooking your attention with the simplest of visuals and the slowest of paces. The last time I was that intrigued by a love story was when I watched the Indian independent film, The Lunchbox.

The story takes a turn when the couple gets in danger with their unintentional involvement in political corruption during the presidential elections. Talking to Screen International, Anwar said, “The past three years have been a worrying period for Indonesia in terms of how polarized our people have become.”

Anwar explained, “It was made worse by the campaigns launched by some of the parties. It hurt the ability of Indonesians to think logically. It also crippled them, not just in the way they think about politics, but also in their day-to-day lives.”

What makes Anwar’s characters fascinating is that they are not black and white. They struggle, lie, steal, scratch and claw but all in the name of survival. With the elections catching up, all the country’s focus has been on politicians, while the lower class suffers from the same problems, every day on a regular basis, with no way out. And there, in their little chaotic worlds, untouched by the bigger world, of which they only aspire to be a part of, they find love.

The ‘cinema verite’ style of filmmaking also enhances the instability of the story world. Ultimately, the grungy rough lower social class surroundings of Sari and Alek, their unfulfilled desires, and eventual involvement in political corruption, all make up for a very moving tale, which apart from treating the audience with unique characters and a beautifully dramatic plot, also draws the contemporary panorama of political exploits in Indonesia and how it affects people’s lives.

Indonesian filmmaker Joko Anwar (photo: BIFF)