A film performance combined with a music concert (cine-concert) by director Garin Nugroho entitled “Samsara” was first staged in Indonesia at the Indonesia Bertutur 2024 event at Peninsula Island, Nusa Dua, Bali.
The Patron of the Puri Kauhan Foundation from Ubud, AA Gde Odeck Ariawan, who was also present to watch the “Samsara” cine-concert performance, appreciated the various aspects presented, starting from the story, musical composition, image and movement arrangement, to the synchronization of images with music.
“The topic of the story really touches my basic thinking as a Balinese person, besides all the characters and all the parties involved are very talented. The artistic direction, storytelling, shooting, and movement, all are extraordinary,” said Gde as reported by Antara.
Samsara is a black and white silent film starring actor Ario Bayu and Indonesian-Australian dancer Juliet Widyasari Burnett accompanied by a blend of Balinese gamelan and electronic music.
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This work is presented by Cineria Films, Garin Workshop, and Lynx Films, produced in collaboration with Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay Singapore, in collaboration with Silurbarong.co, and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.
The film “Samsara” is set in Bali in the 1930s, telling the story of a man from a poor family whose marriage proposal was rejected by the wealthy parents of the woman he loves. He makes a magical pact with the Monkey King and performs dark rituals to gain wealth.
However, in the process, this ritual actually curses his wife and child to suffer. “Samsara” features many elements of traditional Balinese performance such as gamelan orchestra, traditional dance, masks, and puppets combined with digital electronic music and contemporary dance and masks.
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The Balinese Gamelan music performance was presented by Wayan Sudirana, a music composer and ethnomusicologist who graduated from the University of British Columbia.
In addition, digital electronic music is performed by the music group Gabber Modus Operandi, namely Kasimyn and Ican Harem, which presents the results of crossing several musical genres. They collaborated with international music star Bjork on her album entitled “Fossora” (2022).
Samsara’s production also features renowned Indonesian and Balinese artists and dancers, including Gus Bang Sada, Siko Setyanto, dance maestro I Ketut Arini, Cok Sawitri, Aryani Willems, choreographer Ida Ayu Wayan Arya Satyani, and dancers from the Bumi Bajra Community from Bali.
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In addition, it involves filmmakers who are experienced and have received awards for their works. They are producers Gita Fara and Aldo Swastia, costume designer Retno Ratih Damayanti, artistic director Vida Sylvia, and cinematographer Batara Goempar, ICS
Director Garin Nugroho said “Samsara” was inspired by his love of classic German films from the 1920s such as “Nesferatu” (1922) and “Metropolis” (1927), which led him to delve back into local traditions.
“Creating this work for me is like leading and carrying out a traditional ceremony that lives in various regions of Indonesia. Therefore, creating ‘Samsara’ is a ceremony with various professions, such as make-up artist, cook, stage person, dancer, musician, ceremony leader, and others,” said Garin.
“Each ceremony represents the socio-economic and environmental conditions of the community, so that in the creative process of ‘Samsara’, each player must be able to bring within themselves the socio-cultural situation in the creation of ‘Samsara’,” he added. (Ant/M-4)
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