This film program explores cinema as a tool to address local issues from the perspective of the community. Featuring films from Akumassa, a project by Forum Lenteng, the program amplifies the voices of local citizens, focusing on undercurrent narratives and mass occurrences that define specific places. These films are made with an acute awareness of their location, positioning themselves within local contexts to address what truly matters to the community, making them a vital tool for public discourse.

Central to this program is the visual experiment of the Eye-Level camera position, which intention is to reduce filmmaker subjectivity. By aligning the camera at eye level with the subject, this approach fosters a sense of equality between the viewer and the local community, countering the exploitative tendencies of mainstream media.

The experimental films’ language inform their alternative form is an effort speak more authentically to local issues—such as the legacy of colonialism, Cold War politics, capitalism, and systemic injustice. Eye-Level invites audiences to reconsider cinema’s role in social reflection, offering an ethical and empathetic storytelling approach that speaks directly to both local and global struggles.

17:00
Introduction and visit of current exhibitions at NW:

• JOY BOY, A TRIBUTE TO JULIUS EASTMAN
• Prologue: Ula Sickle
• Info Angel: Over the water

18:00
Kitchen Stories

19:00
Forum Lenteng talk & film screening Hari-Hari Sapi / A Day For The Cows

21:00
End

ABOUT THE FILM
Akumassa Randublatung, Hari-Hari Sapi / A Day For The Cows, IN, 2009, digital, 42′

Hari-Hari Sapi (2010) explores cinema as a way of approaching local problems from within the community itself. In the film, Akumassa Randublatung brings forward underexposed narratives from the local community. It looks at what is important to the community and from this perspective it creates a powerful basis for open discussion.
Central to the film is the ‘Eye-Level’ camera position-where the camera stays at the eye level of the filmed subject. This minimises the filmmaker’s influence and places the viewer on an equal footing with the community being portrayed. It is a deliberate counter-reaction to mainstream media’s tendencies of exploitation.
The film attempts to address local issues in a more authentic way, including the legacy of colonialism, the impact of the Cold War and the dynamics of capitalism. Hari-Hari Sapi invites audiences to re-evaluate the role of cinema in social debate, reflecting on an ethical and empathetic mode of storytelling that encompasses both local and global issues.

ABOUT FORUM LENTENG
Forum Lenteng is an egalitarian non-profit organisation focusing on social and cultural studies. Founded in 2003 by communication students, artists, researchers and cultural observers, the forum promotes the development of media and arts knowledge within its community. This is done through production, documentation, research and open distribution.
This knowledge forms the basis for broader discussions on social issues, using art and media as a means of dialogue. Over the past 12 years, Forum Lenteng has grown into a dynamic organisation, with numerous programmes created in collaboration with various institutions and communities, both in Indonesia and internationally.