The story of a politician haunted by his old pledge to his party, is forced into confinement through his actions and starts to face personal and public scrutiny. Shot without a script and in a single location, Adam Taufiq Suharto (“Belas“, “Dekaden“) captures a young politician's spiral into madness, as the world outside his abode begins to crumble.
Shooting in a single location, and one that does not offer much space, can prove limiting for creators to fully realize their vision and message. However, “The Old Pledge” does showcase how limitations can sometimes work in favor of narrative, particularly in the form of visual storytelling. The short film really embraces the feeling of isolation, as its subject begins to become destructive, his withdrawal is reflected in the claustrophobic space he has forced himself into, in order to seek solace. Furthermore, the sound design paints the portrait of a chaotic outside world, that is possibly crumbling because of his choices, or in an attempt to wear him down. Overall, the entire film captures a deep sense of unease with its protagonist and makes for an unsettling experience.
The concept of party loyalty is well conveyed in the short, notably by focusing on human reaction in abandoning your chosen party instead of actual political rhetoric. However, there is still bound to be some degree of disconnect from audiences under a political system that does not seem as sever as what is proposed here. This makes the short potentially segregating, but thankfully, the presentation encapsulates the emotional unease of its subject to such a successful degree to make it a palatable concept.
“Sumpah Semalam” is a film that is undoubtedly limited by its approach to script and location, particularly when comparing it up against the director's previous efforts. However, it still conveys Suharto's knack with visual and audio that has become a stand out feature of all of his projects. Overall, the short further proves the director's talents in creating engaging video/audio experiences, but falls short from there. Regardless, within the self imposed restrictions, Suharto shows he can still find ways to excel where many others would falter.
