Lovely Man

Lovely Man is a 2011 Indonesian film written and directed by Teddy Soeriaatmadja. The film had its world premiere at the 2011 Busan International Film Festival to positive reviews on the segment "A Window on Asian Cinema". Donny Damara plays the starring role as Syaiful/Ipuy, a transgender woman in Jakarta. Actress Raihaanun plays the female leading role as Cahaya, Syaiful's long-lost 19-year-old daughter who comes to the city to look for him only to find out that her father is a transgender woman. This is their second film together after 2007 remake of drama Badai Pasti Berlalu.

Lovely Man
Film poster
Directed byTeddy Soeriaatmadja[1][2]
Produced byIndra Tamoron Musu
Written byTeddy Soeriaatmadja
StarringDonny Damara
Raihaanun
Yayu Unru
Ari Syarif
Lani Sonda
Music byBobby Surjadi
CinematographyIcal Tanjung
Production
company
Karuna Pictures
Release date
  • 7 October 2011 (2011-10-07) (Busan)
  • 10 May 2012 (2012-05-10) (Indonesia)
Running time
76 minutes
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian

The film generated controversy in its native Indonesia due to rejections from the Islamic Defenders Front[3] but saw overwhelming reception abroad through screenings at various international film festivals.

Plot

Lovely Man tells the story of Cahaya, a 19-year-old girl with strong Islamic values, who discovers that her long lost father is a transgender woman working on the streets of Jakarta. The story unfolds over that one night as they walk the streets of Jakarta and explains how the encounter changes their lives, as they learn about love, loss and redemption.[4]

Cahaya arrives in Jakarta from what can be assumed is her small town home just as the sun is setting. Armed with a piece of notepaper and a few rupiah, she's in the city on a search for the father she hasn't seen since she was four. Asking neighbors and shopkeepers in the area he lives in for Syaiful gets her blank stares in return. When they finally figure out she means Ipuy, they point her in the right direction and say he's “working” around Taman Lawang (Jakarta's infamous spot for transgender sex workers). Cahaya, naturally, goes looking for an office building or store.

When she locates Ipuy (Damara), she finds a transvestite prostitute plying her trade on the streets. In the initial minutes after encountering each other, both are shocked at the turn of evens. The innocent Cahaya is crushed at her father's choices; Ipuy is horrified to see the daughter he willfully left behind.[5]

Cast

Production

Development

Soeriaatmadja first came up with an idea for the film in 2003, when he saw a transgender woman and a veiled woman talking on the side of a street. He started development on the script in 2011.[6] During script development, Raihaanun, who is Soeriaatmadja's wife, expressed interest in the film. As a result, Soeriaatmadja rewrote the character of Cahaya for her.[7]

The film was made with a very small budget, which director Soeriaatmadja referred to as the "survival technique."[6]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 2011 Busan International Film Festival in the segment "A Window on Asian Cinema." The segment also screened Ari Sihasale's Serdadu Kumbang and Salaman Aristo's Jakarta Maghrib.

In October 2013, it was screened for the London Indonesian Film Screenings at the London University School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS). Other films screened were Paul Agusta's Parts of the Heart, Eugene Panji's Cita-Citaku Setinggi Tanah, Rahung Nasution's Mentawai Tattoo Revival, Yosep Anggi Noen's Peculiar Vacation and Other Ilnesses, and Riri Riza's three features: Kuldesak, 3 Hari untuk Selamanya, and Atambua 39 Celsius.

Initially, Soeriaatmadja did not have plans to release the film because he was concerned about a possible controversy revolving around a scene in the film where Cahaya takes off her veil. However, after participating in the Q! Film Festival, the film garnered attention in the Indonesian LGBT community.[7] Nevertheless, its release garnered controversy due to rejections from the Islamic Defenders Front.[3] The film still saw limited release in several theaters throughout the country on May 10, 2012.

The film was screened at the following film festivals:[8]

Reception

In a positive review, Elizabeth Kerr of The Hollywood Reporter also singled out Damara's performance, calling it "Damara's show" while adding that "with his square jaw and heavy brow, Damara jettisons excessive mannerisms for little details (playing with his eyelashes, fidgeting with his wig) and stays respectful of Ipuy. He uses words as weapons and comports himself in a way that makes clear the status transgender people hold in the world. When he finally relates to Cahaya as Saiful, his ruggedly handsome features carry a melancholy that speaks to what happens after the film is over. Ipuy is in trouble with some local gangsters and after he sends Cahaya home with a promise never to contact him again, it’s clear how the story truly ends."[5]

Los Angeles Times film critic Betsy Sharkey praised Soeriaatmadja's work, calling it "a moving one-act play on human connections and the power of love and forgiveness to change lives".[9]

Indonesian film critic Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu highlighted Soeriaatmadja's bravery in depicting the relationship between a transgender woman and a devout Muslim woman. He further noted that the film does not overcrowd itself with social context, instead letting the viewers make their own conclusions about transgender people and Muslims. Pasaribu also praised Soeriaatmadja's minimalist direction, calling it his best directorial work so far.[10]

Accolades

The film received many awards and nominations, both domestic and international. Donny Damara received rave reviews for his performance as Syaiful/Ipul, resulting in a Best Actor accolade from Maya Awards, Asian Film Awards, and the Indonesian Oscar-equivalent Citra Awards. The film has been credited for reviving Damara's career as a film actor.[11]

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result
2012 Asian Film Awards Best Director Teddy Soeriaatmadja Nominated
2012 Asian Film Awards Best Actor Donny Damara Won
2012 Asian Film Awards People's Choice Award for Favorite Actor Donny Damara Nominated
2012 Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival Best Film Lovely Man Won
2012 Osaka Asian Film Festival Special Mention Award Lovely Man Won
2012 Tiburon International Film Festival Best Film Lovely Man Won
2012 Tiburon International Film Festival Best Director Teddy Soeriaatmadja Won
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards People's Choice Award for Favorite Film Lovely Man Nominated
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards Best Actor Donny Damara Won
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards Best Actress Raihaanun Won
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards Best On-Screen Duo Donny Damara

Raihaanun

 Nominated
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards People's Choice Award for Favorite Actor Donny Damara Nominated
2012 Indonesian Movie Awards People's Choice Award for Favorite Actress Raihaanun Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Film Lovely Man Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Director Teddy Soeriaatmadja Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Actor Donny Damara Won
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Screenplay Teddy Soeriaatmadja Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Editing Wahyu Ichandiardono Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Art Direction Richard Sibuea Nominated
2012 Citra Awards of Indonesian Film Festival Best Original Story Teddy Soeriaatmadja Nominated
2012 Maya Awards Best Feature Film Lovely Man Won
2012 Maya Awards Best Director Teddy Soeriaatmadja Won
2012 Maya Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Donny Damara Won
2012 Maya Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Raihaanun Nominated
2012 Maya Awards Best Screenplay Teddy Soeriaatmadja Won
2012 Maya Awards Best Costume Design Ve Verdinand Nominated
2012 Maya Awards Best Makeup & Hairstyling Ebba Syeba Nominated
2012 Maya Awards Best Sound Design Khikmawan Santosa Nominated

References
  3. Khagen, Andika. "Dicekal FPI, Lovely Man diputar di London". Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  4. "Lovely Man". World Film Festival of Bangkok. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  5. Kerr, Elizabeth. "Hong Kong Film Review: Lovely Man". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  6. "Teddy Soeriaatmadja: Lovely Man adalah Film Survival". 21 Cineplex. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  7. Tokyo International Film Festival (November 2, 2016). "Lovely Man" Q&A. Youtube.
  8. "Lolvely Man di Kolektif Denpasar". Minikino. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  9. "Hong Kong Film Festival: Transvestites, Muslims and a 'Lovely Man'". LA Times Blogs - 24 Frames. 2012-03-25. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  10. "Lovely Man: Menakar yang Intim dari yang Ekstrem". Cinema Poetica (in Indonesian). 2011-11-04. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  11. "Lovely Man". Indonesian Film Center. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
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