Intertextuality of Indonesian Films in the 1980s-2010s

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the intertextuality of Indonesian films during the 1980s-2020s. This research focuses on three famous films, namely Ayat-Ayat Cinta, Perempuan Berkalung Sorban, and Ketika Cinta Bertasbih, which are analyzed by means of texts and intertextuality concept. This conceptual analysis is carried out based on the following five criteria: Convention, invention, extension, reduction, and modification. The concepts of narrative analysed in order to establish the intertextuality of these three films are the players, genres, themes, backgrounds, conflicts, and significant symbols. These factors reflect the meanings, merit, beliefs, values, and social ideologies. The findings reveal that the three films have been transmitting and reproducing some particular concepts to induce society’s awareness through concepts, opinions, beliefs, and values. The films also reinforce social ideologies through the different contents. However, the textualities of the three movies involve convention, invention, and extension, due to Islamic revival stream which leads to Islamization, and which is interweaved in the contents of the three films. The films also reflect the connection of the characteristics of the nationhood, Indonesian Muslim identity, and Indonesian politics.

            Apart from the popularity among the viewers, the three films instilled political ideology into the audience. It can be seen that the number of this kind of films increased, especially during the Reformasi, after the collapse of the New Order (Orde Baru). The factor leading to the textuality of the Indonesian films during the 1980-2010 stemmed from changes of Indonesian political contexts, which were related to the period of time focused on in the current study, the years between 1980 and 2010.