Garuda Di Dadaku

Garuda di Dadaku

About Dream, Football, and Technical Maturity

Release Year: 2009
Director : Ifa Isfansyah
Producer : Shanty Harmayn
Screenplay: Salman Aristo
Cast : Amir Mahira / Aldo Tansani / Ikranegara / Ari Sihasale / Maudy Kosnaedi
Music : Aksan & Titi Sjuman
Cinematography : Roy Lolang
Editing : Cesa David Luckmansyah
Duration : 96 minutes
 

Garuda di Dadaku (GD) was a holiday movie which succeded some time ago. It was movie debut a director from Yogyakarta, Ifa Isfansyah who studied in “Ginseng” country. GD was starred by kid stars Emir Mahira and Aldo Tansani, together with senior stars like Ikranegara, Maudy Koesnaedi, and Ari Sihasale.

Bayu was a 6^th grade elementary student, who very talented in playing football. Bayu had a dream like his late father to be included in Indonesia team football player (Tim Merah Putih). While Usman, Bayu’s grand father (Ikranegara) had a wish that Bayu could be more than just a football player. Bayu was forced to join some additional activities which he did not like. Helped by Heri, his closest friend, Bayu secretively tried to join an elite football club which could be a way to National Junior Football Team.

Just like prevalent other kid movies, GD ran mildly with certain and simple conflict. During the movie, plot took a viewpoint of Bayu which described his ups and downs in reaching his dream with supports from his friends and mother. Though it was a liitle bit overacting, Usman character defined as an antagonist who became the main problem of conflict. And it was quite strange when he suddenly agreed on football, whereas he hated football so much. The other unimportant character, which just for “sweetener”, Zhara and her father, a grave keeper family.

Despite GD was the first, the director technically show the maturity in camera technique and editing. In football scenes, the camera effectively and dynamically followed Bayu who was skillful in flickering ball. A montage sequence techinque used with a suitable songs equal as Hollywood movie. One impressive shot at closing scenes when Bayu under spotlight of Gelora Bung Karno Stadium played together with other National Junior Team just like his dream all this time. One billiant crosscutting technique, when the player determination of National Junior team. The director cut the football match scene (the present) with the seconds of player determination in a locker room (the future). Nonlinear crosscutting technique was impressive but it may too difficult for kids audience to understand.

GD was a family movie which not only attract kids but also adults. The moral message for family was easily accepted. The director brilliantly sticked the social and political criticism, for instance the playing area was replaced by concrete jungle, or the ball which hit a poster of legislator candidate, bribe tradition in Indonesia. Speaking about nationalism in this movie, somewhat i could not agree, there were too many football atribute of foreign country (Arsenal FC). The graves where Bayu rehearsed made double perception, I hope kids out there did not suddenly play football at grave. Congratz and success for the director!

M. Pradipta

Assistant editor and senior writer at Montase, and movie lovers