It seems that Haris Yuliyanto has a connection to boats, ports and the people working in the various aspects of the maritime industry, and, after “Anchoring” which focused on the aspirations of a boat crew member, this time has come up with a script that combines the story of a ship sinking with the workers in a lighthouse.
“Memories of the Sea” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
40- year-old Galon is the sole keeper of a lighthouse, which is about to welcome the arrival of the State Leader for the agenda of the inauguration of the port development project. Galon is busy with the decorations of the building, and does not pay much attention to the news about a sinking ship, which was carrying hundreds of passengers. However, at that point, the ghost of 50-year-old Rusman, Galon's former colleague, returns to the human world in order to find more about his son, who was a crew member in the aforementioned ship. The two of them reconnect in the best of fashions, as their relationship appeared to be a rather loving one, but Rusman's agony continues, even among the decorations and the rapport the two share. As the news for the ship give their stead to the development project, another ghost appears in the lighthouse, replacing Rusman who has to return to the afterlife.
Haris Yuliyanto creates a very interesting narrative, where the supernatural is implemented in order to make a sociopolitical comment, regarding the way the government is always keen to highlight the moves forward, as in the case of the port development project, which are actually what brings votes, but is quite eager to push the issues, and even more, the tragedies that take place, in the background. In that fashion, Yuliyanto seems to state that maintenance and damage control, as general concepts in the industry, are at least as important as innovations and various steps forward, despite the fact that they do not bring votes. As such, the actions the government takes in the story, provide a rather harsh critique towards it.
Apart from the rather interesting comment and the intriguingly subtle approach Yuliyanto takes, the film is also quite entertaining, particularly through the interactions of the two lighthouse workers, which are filled with humor, comradeship, and a slight surreal element since Galon does not seem surprised at all to see the ghost of his former colleague appear before him. This element benefits the most by the overall atmosphere, as the foggy eeriness, the green and blue neon colors and the overall cinematography of Bagas Kusdiantoro work quite well for the narrative. Gemma Ananda's editing is also on a high level, intensifying the sense of disorientation that permeates the narrative. Ari ‘Bubut' Widodo and Agus Kijang in the two protagonists' roles are quite good, showcasing their chemistry, in one of the best aspects of the movie.
On the other hand, the use of music is somewhat faulty, to the point that it becomes annoying on occasion, while the truth is, that the main comment could be a bit better presented, since the news that are just heard make it a bit difficult to understand what the director wanted to say.
These, however, are minor issues, and in the end, “Memories of the Sea” emerges as a short that is both artful and contextually interesting.
