The Mirror Never Lies

The Mirror Never Lies (2011)

Laut Bercermin

A small island is inhabited by members of the Bajo tribe, a nomadic fishing community of the Wakatobi Islands. After her father is lost at sea, twelve-year-old Pakis keeps treasuring the mirror he gave her, hoping that (according to Bajo belief) he will return and appear reflected in it. Then a young man comes into her life, threatening conflict between Pakis and her mother.

Date of release
2011-05-05
Runtime
1h 40m
Genres
Drama
Director
Kamila Andini

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Filmed in: Indonesia

The Mirror Never Lies is a 2011 Indonesian film directed by Kamila Andini and co-produced by Andini's father, Garin Nugroho, and former Puteri Indonesia Nadine Chandrawinata. Starring Gita Novalista, Atiqah Hasiholan, and Reza Rahadian, it follows a young Bajau girl named Pakis who has lost her father at sea and uses mirrors to unsuccessfully search for him. It has several interpretations, including as a coming-of-age story and as an environmentalist piece.

Production

The film was directed by Kamila Andini, who also wrote the script and, in collaboration with Dirmawan Hatta, the screenplay. For her feature film debut, Andini chose to write about the sea – a topic which had long interested her and on which she had previously recorded documentaries. She had also had a long-held interest in environmental issues.

The Mirror Never Lies was a collaboration between the Indonesian branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Wakatobi regency government, and SET Film Workshop, with the former two providing funding. It focused on the Bajau people, also known as "sea gypsies" for their nomadic maritime lifestyle. Little Indonesian-language documentation was available to the crew, and as such production took over two years, most of which was research.

The film cast three Bajau teenagers, Gita Novalista, Eko and Zainal, in their feature film debuts; the three were the first Bajau to play in a feature film. More experienced actors, including Atiqah Hasiholan and Reza Rahadian (who had received two Citra Awards), were also cast.

The Mirror Never Lies uses the Bajau language heavily, with its Indonesian spoken in a Bajau accent and, in domestic screenings, Indonesian-language subtitles when Bajau is spoken. The use of pre-recorded music is minimal. Instead, much of the film's soundtrack consists of "folk songs and chanting" in Bajau. Hasiholan had to undergo tutoring to learn her lines, learning from the Bajau people on location.

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