The Photograph

The Photograph
Direction & Screenplay: Nan T. Achnas
2007/94 min/ Indonesian

Cast LIM KAY TONG, SHANTY, LUKMAN SARDI and INDY BARENDS

A young karaoke bar hostess vows to fulfill the last wishes of the terminally ill photographer who took her in following a harrowing experience in which she was gang raped by a group of drunken customers in The Photograph. Sita is a 25-year-old bar hostess who also moonlights as a prostitute. One day, after Sita is gang raped and beaten by a violent group of customers, kindly Chinese-Indonesian photographer Johan comes to her aid. Though Johan is twice Sita's age, an unlikely bond forms between the pair when the traveling photographer invites the young woman to move in with him. Upon realizing that she is unable to return to her position as a bar hostess, Sita offers to become Johan's personal servant in exchange for room and board. Later, Johan reveals that he has but a few months to live, yet longs to fulfill three lifelong fantasies represented in three photographs: a photo of the sea represents Johan's wish to travel to China by ship, a snapshot of railway tracks represents his longing to travel by train, and a still life of a camera sitting next to a chair represents his deep desire to find a successor before he passes away. When Sita discovers a dark secret from Johan's past, the enraged photographer does his best to drive her away. Weeks later, on his deathbed, Johan realizes that his time has finally come, and summons Sita back to take one final photograph.