Hush

By Kan Lume and Djenar Maesa Ayu 
Starring Cinta
SGIFF 2017

Collage of rape cases in Indonesia. How perpetrators only get 3 years or less even though law says fifteen years. The Yuhanis case where she was gang-raped. Footage of other rape cases around the world caught on CCTV. Women attacked in lifts, along the aisle, in stores. Women raped and murdered by rapists usually relatives. So sick.

We see Cinta, a musician, who goes to Gili to escape Jakarta. She's so beautiful and free. In Gili she is free to create. No hypocrisy. She attributes to the powers of the island. If a man takes something which is not his like a woman's virginity, he's seen as masculine. If a woman enjoys sex, she's a whore. The gender disparity due to social constructs. This story is scripted. Only the occupation and name is real. She has gone to jail for 1.5 years, hooks up with anyone, had two abortions and regrets them. Smoks like a chimney. Smokes weed. Heavy drinker. Got involved with a married man and really loved him because he truly loved her for who she is. No judgement of her tumultuous past.

Divorced because of a cheating ex-husband. Broke up with her first bf before finding out she was pregnant. He disown the child. She regrets her abortion when she was twenty smtg. She professes to good sex = deeper and stronger bond. Her standard is if she can have a great conversation with the other and will not cheat on him, she will date him. Not on looks because she's had ugly bf.

Lust became love? Is that even possible?

She wants to make as many mistakes as possible to learn from them herself.

Turns out she was raped by her relative when she was nine. Her single mom had to work. She was preyed upon by the relative who her love him. She calls this molest but it's rape because they had sex. She had orgasms then and it felt good but she didn't know it was sex until later. She has always felt like trash since then. Everytime she's sex she remembers the rapist's penis inside her.

Does she sleep around and have many bf to forget her past? Her mother grew up without her dad. Now her mother is also a single mom. Married twice but cheated upon. Her current husband loves her. Built this huge terrace near Ubud for them. Hardworking. Humble as a tattoo artist. Tattoos as a way to remember smtg significant. I identify with that symbolism. Her sister has totally green hair. Her brother doesn't want to be in camera. They eat pork even though by Muslim law they're not supposed to.

Is it her sin that she was molested? Or that she came from a broken family? Explains why she behaves so wildly now.

Show closes with footage of rape scenes caught on CCTV. How they are marches by mostly females to stop the rapist. The fault is not in the woman. There needs to be more awareness on this and I think the directors tried to portray this by challenging gender norms and social constructs. The best measure against this is if boys and men speak out against such acts. It is sick that such cases are caused by perpetrators within a family.

Hush... Like don't tell anyone? Don't speak now... Or Hush don't you cry Baby? I love how many readings the title offers into this issue of rape and molest.