The daily life of a matriarch and her busy household is presented in a montage of different social gatherings and events within the home. Expressing the importance of family, the elderly mother expresses her concern as a move may split up the unit that spends most of their time under on rooftop.
“Rumah/Tok” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
A highly personal film, “Rumah/Tok” offers an outsider's view of the daily life of a large family that comes together under one roof. The sense of community is conveyed through every action, as generations share meals and exist in the same space. The only narrative comes from a few lines muttered at the end about the possibility of a move within the family causing worry. Undeniably this introspective look at the environment around one and how it works gives a sincere view of this particular family. Unfortunately, the specificity of culture and lack of greater narrative around the family leaves the film feeling more like a home movie.
Essentially, the film is devoid of any greater message beyond an attempt at capturing a familiarity with others. However, even within similar structured family units the lack of greater dialogue makes any relatability feel like a stretch. What little dialogue there is does present some worry within the family, but if the audience is not given any reason to care, the conflict is utterly meaningless. Sadly, the project is too personal and specific to offer much to anyone outside of the subjects in the film.
The film does offer some visual flair, and in spite of the indulgent content, it is apparent that Azharr Rudin put consideration into each shot as well as the editing process. The audio is also well captured, allowing the ambiance of a busy house to surround the viewer but not distract them from the visuals. Ultimately, the skill of Rudin as a cinematographer and editor is the only redeeming quality of the short.
“Rum/Tokah” should have never left the space of home movie, the end product is not just indulgent, it is extremely tiresome. Worse yet, there is nothing to gleam from the production. Like a white noise that adds no value but to fill the space, the short is utterly forgettable.
