if you were director in movie sunny (cinta pertama)

Directed by Nayoto Fio Nuala, this is definitely one for the girls, in fact, the chick flick to end all chick flicks.  The entirety of the film is permeated by soft piano music, the occasional soaring strings as well as falling blossoms, billowing curtains, flowers, doves and even a rainbow.

The film begins with a glamorous party in celebration of the engagement between the elegantly dressed Alia and Abi.  Alia is found the following morning having suffered a stroke and she is rushed off to hospital in Jakarta.  Whilst Alia lies in her hospital bed surrounded by her tearful friends and relatives, her new fiancee Abi finds Alia’s diary and, against the advice of Rena (Alia’s best friend), reads it cover to cover.  The reading of the diary opens up a pandora’s box of emotions like jealously and sadness.  Abi learns that Alia had fallen in love with a boy, Sunny, when she was at high school.  Despite the time elapsing and her recent engagement to Abi, Alia’s intense felling had not changed.  Abi tracks down Sunny whom he convinces to come to the hospital to see Alia, much to the dismay of Sunny’s wife.  Of course, it all ends in tears, Sunny confessing to Abi that he still had feelings for Alia.  The boys hold vigil by the tragically beautiful Alia’s sick bed and finally, she dies.

This film is a melodrama. As straight out tearjerker.  It is pure escapism for those who want to take a dip in a calm pool of sweet melancholy emotion.  Everybody in the film is shiny, elegant, rich, beautiful, and filmed in soft light.  Everything is in its rightful place with no hint on animosity between Abi and Sunny or between Sunny and his wife.  There are simply just tears and sadness, mirrored by the frequent appearance of drizzle in the film.  What is the moral to the story?  If you keep a personal diary, hide it really well!  Yet, it must be said that what this film lacks in plot, it makes up for in aesthetics of cinematography.  “Cinta pertama” is very well filmed and edited, which has English subtitles each film shot beautifully presented with expert lighting and evidence of the balanced artistic eye of the director.

This film does not, reflect a true image of the full cross-section of Indonesian society, but an idealized view of the world, in order to entertain. This film is recommended for  year Seven to Twelve students.