Indonesia, where the increasingly conservative Islamist government recently passed a broadly interpreted anti-pornography bill banning acts like kissing or baring the legs or shoulders in public, is curiously experiencing a resurgence in polygamy, a practice which had gone underground during President Suharto's long tenure. Some polygamists have taken additional wives in secret, made official by clerics instead of in court, without the knowledge of their first wife. For critics, polygamists are using religion to justify out-and-out sluttery.
Love for Share's director Nia Dinata balances sensitivity and a soap operatic funny bone in wending her way through the issue with the tales of three women, Salma, Siti and Ming as they attempt to maintain their sense of self amongst so many other people. Salma (Jajang C. Noer), a Muslim gynecologist, discovers quite by accident that her politico husband has a second wife and child... and a third... and a fourth. It's all to prevent adultery, he claims. But don't be upset, he says, "otherwise you're the one that's sinning." Siti (Shanty), a villager, moves to Jakarta with her uncle, having been promised help in going to beauty school. Uncle's house, it turns out, is a Rabelaisian farce, with two wives that take turns going "on duty," popping out pups in perpetuity. Siti dutifully assists the two wives through their pregnancies and childbirths, until it becomes her turn. Flirty and insouciant Ming (Dominique A. Diyose) is a Chinese Indonesian waitress whose fawning boss can't bear the thought of other men's attentions on her. Convincing Ming to marry him while the wife's away, it all goes well until her return.
At two hours, the film is a bit on the full side, although the development of the distinct stories is hardly painful. An excellent film score swings from a Javanese gamelan and string quartet blend all the way to retro pop in this versatile film, which manages to level serious cultural critique and still be amusing.
The film will be shown at the following San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival dates:
+ Saturday March 17th 12:15 p.m., AMC Van Ness, San Francisco
+ Wednesday March 21th 6:45 p.m., AMC Van Ness, San Francisco
+ Saturday March 24th 6 p.m., Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley
Posted by rebecca at March 14, 2007 4:15 PM
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