Teen Drama 'Posesif' Blends Arthouse Talent and Box Office Success
Bandung. Teen drama "Posesif" ("Possessive") combines arthouse talent and the promise of box office success to provide a unique and evocative experience for moviegoers in the film's rendering of first love and the dark days that follow.
The film's star Adipati Dolken is one of Indonesia's biggest names in the business, known for his roles in numerous teen flicks such as "Operation Wedding," "Marmut Merah Jambu" ("Pink Marmot") and "Catatan Dodol Calon Dokter" ("Silly Diary of an Aspiring Doctor").
The 25-year-old actor has also appeared in biopics such as "Jenderal Soedirman" ("General Soedirman") and "Sang Kiai" ("The Cleric").
"Posesif" follows the story of Lala (newcomer Putri Marino), an aspiring diving athlete who falls in love with Yudhis (Adipati), a new student at her school. The lovebirds promise to stay together forever, but Lala struggles to balance her life as she discovers a complex and dangerous side of the relationship.
Director Edwin has become a festival regular with his acclaimed works "Babi Buta Yang Ingin Terbang" ("Blind Pig That Wants to Fly") and "Kebun Binatang" ("Postcard From the Zoo").
Screenwriter Gina S. Noer has also written some of the Indonesian box office's most popular movies, such as 2012's "Habibie Ainun."
After writing the screenplay for "Babi Buta" himself and having someone else pen "Zoo," Edwin relished the opportunity to work with Gina.
"I love stories, but Gina has had more experience in screenwriting. She has her own way with the narrative," he said during the last week of filming in Bandung, West Java.
Gina sees herself and Edwin as coming from two different ends of the creativity spectrum.
"It's like Edwin came from the North Pole and I have always been this tropical person, and we are trying to meet each other halfway, where both of us feel comfortable about this collaboration," she said.
"So far, Edwin has always been very receptive of my suggestions and our visual exploration has been interesting."
Gina said she was determined to write an honest and accessible teen love story.
"Most people think it is easy to write a teen love story, but to write a romantic plot that is acceptable for youngsters today remains a challenge," she said.
Edwin promised a slight thriller bend to the drama to keep audiences on the edge.
Producer Meiske Taurisia, who has worked on many of Edwin's films, said she took on the project as a challenge to do something different for her career in film.
"Working on this film doesn't mean that Edwin and I are leaving behind our idealism. We will still be making art films that can contribute to the diversity the Indonesian film industry. But 'Posesif' is a challenging task as we must make it unique and relatable to a mainstream audience," she said.
Instead of using a new hit song to promote the film, the film's creative team ran the first trailer over alternative rock band Sheila on 7's 1999 hit "Kita" ("Us"), presented in its original arrangement from their debut album.
According to producer Muhammad "Eddy" Zaidy, the song is a timeless work that does not require rearrangement.
"The song is relevant to the love story, and there is something nostalgic about it, so we definitely wanted to keep the original arrangement," he said.
Filming for "Posesif," which also stars Cut Mini and Yayu Unru, is expected to be wrapped up before the end of January.
The film will be released in theaters in July.
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