Our Son

Synopsis  

LITA (27), a bank employee, meets her ex-lover SANDI (29), a furniture businessman, by chance, at his furniture gallery in Yogyakarta, a city in Indonesia with a mixed landscape of convention and moderni- sation. They maintain contact as Lita seeks Sandi’s advice on furnishing her new home. Sandi then fre- quently visits Lita’s home, where she meets her mining employee husband, BOB (31). When visiting the couple, Sandi frequently brings his online entrepreneur wife, ELI (24). Faced with family and societal pressures to have children as it commonly happens in Indonesia, both couples confide in one another and form close bonds. One day, Lita gives birth to a baby ARYO. Sandi and Eli frequently look after Aryo when Lita and Bob are unavailable.

Five years later, Aryo gets dengue fever and requires a blood transfusion. Lita and Bob’s blood types, however, do not match Aryo’s. Surprisingly, Aryo and Sandi have the same blood type. They are as- tounded to learn that Aryo is Sandi and Lita’s son. Things become complicated when they realize they must save Aryo’s life and future, but their own home is in shambles. They must raise Aryo with a heavy heart. Bob decides to divorce Lita, Sandi abandons Eli months later, unaware of the fact that she is now pregnant with his child. As time passes, Eli, who has no idea where her husband is, and Lita, who has divorced her husband, decide to live together and raise their sons as a new family.

Director's note

In today’s more conservative Indonesian society, the ideal family consists of a father, mother, and child. The typical family unit is regarded as such. In Our Son, two couples attempt to care for an illegitimate child in an organized manner. Can we then conclude that their parenting style is wrong? Do we have the right to judge what constitutes a perfect family, whatever that term should be? This film consists in reflecting on the societal pressure on marriage and to call into question the human values we hold dear. I’m hoping that the film will emphasize the importance of researching someone’s background before passing quick judgment. This film serves as a tool for me as a human being to answer my own lingering question about what it means to be a family. Should it always be based on blood relations, or can we simply escape and define new forms of family? Can a family be described as the possibility to live with whoever we want without fear of social judgment or what others think, perhaps?

Visual concept

Our Son is a bittersweet drama that depicts a calm, yet ironic, picture of everyday happy family lives and an unsettling reality beneath the surface. To capture that feeling, I use “floating” camera movements and a natural-looking lighting setup to make it feel real, with single continuous takes in some parts to allow the audience to feel the atmosphere and emotions of the film more deeply.

Producer's note

I began collaborating with Luhki over a decade ago and continue to do so in a variety of capacities to this day. Our long journey together has made me acquainted with his exciting ideas. When Luhki first mentioned the concept of Our Son, I was immediately intrigued. The story captures the reality of contemporary Indonesian society, which is becoming more conservative in terms of social pressure, gender, and humanity. Despite the locality of the story, I believe that this film can be accepted by international audience because the themes of marriage, love, and societal pressure are universal. The concerns raised by Luhki in the film are critical in today’s world. Hence, my aim is to see the project evolve and featured into the big screen. To support this dream, we have already secured some funding from production house investment, as well as Purin Awards from Luhki’s studies at AFiS Busan and RED Awards from the Jogja Future Project. And now, we are excited to meet and collaborate with our co-producing partners and sales agent to complete our financing.