Hakim Ghani, Garut – The regent of Garut in West Java, Rudy Gunawan, has banned cinemas in his regency from screening the film Memories of My Body (Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku) by director Garin Nugroho because the film is deemed to conflict with religious norms.
“I have already instructed the Garut Kadiskominfo [Communication and Information Office Head] to ban the screening of the film in Garut. We have asked that it be replaced by another film”, Gunawan told journalists at his office on Jl Pembangunan in Tarogong Kidul on Monday April 29.
According to Gunawan, the film strongly conflicts with religious norms. Moreover, said Gunawan, the film is too vulgar and shows scenes depicting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) behaviour.
“The film also conflicts with eastern culture which promotes ethics and morality”, Gunawan added.
Gunawan has already asked the Communication and Information Office to ban the film both in cinemas as well as other places.
Gunawan also hopes that the public will not try to watch the film. “It doesn’t have any good values for society. Especially for the millennial generation and children”, he asserted.
The film Memories of My Body, which has been screening since April 18 has attracted controversy. A petition has even emerged on the Change.org website opposing the film which tells the story of a Javanese male dancer over four periods in his life. A number of other regional governments have also banned the film. (ern/ern)
Notes
Last year Memories of My Body won the Cultural Diversity Award under the patronage of UNESCO at the 12th Asia Pacific Screen Awards in Brisbane, Australia, for an “extraordinary” contribution to the promotion and conservation of cultural diversity through film. The film also won the 2018 Bisato D’Oro Award from the Venice Independent Film Critics as well Best Film at the Festival Des 3 Continents, in Nantes, France. In Indonesia the film was selected as Tempo’s Film Choice at the 2018 Tempo Film Festival in Jakarta.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was “Bupati Larang Penayangan Film ‘Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku’ di Garut”.]
